"[Jesus] went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of His disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre to Sidon, who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all. Looking at His disciples, He said: Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man"(Luke 6:17-22).

When Jesus was born into this world, He left a perfect, beautiful kingdom behind for a season--a kingdom where He was Lord. Through eons He had walked on golden streets as pure as glass, in a place where the city walls were made of jasper and their foundations were decorated with "every kind of precious stone." Each gate in the walls was made of a single pearl. There was always light and peace and plenty (Rev. 21). He had sat on a throne circled by a rainbow with other thrones around it and blazing lamps. The inhabitants were dressed in white with gold crowns on their heads; angels and amazing creatures attended the room. Music and praise filled the air (Rev. 4). His country had rivers as clear as crystal, and trees, and one amazing tree that stood on both sides of the river that bore a crop of fruit for every month and it's leaves were for healing (Rev. 22). As He remembered all that, the crowd before Jesus must have looked to Him pretty rag-tag and poverty-stricken. Even the wealthiest among them must have seemed destitute. But most of this crowd was not wealthy--they had come with illness and evil spirits, and all their needs to hear the Carpenter form Nazareth. Jesus looked upon them--that dirty, sweaty, smelly, feverish, undesirable mob--and saw them as royalty. And in Him they found healing for their bodies, minds and spirits. 

"Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. The world says you are poor because you lack health; I say you are healed. The world says you are poor because you lack strength; I say you are 'a living stone being built into a spiritual house.' The world says you are poor because you lack food, shelter, clothing; I say 'you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation belonging to God.' The world says you are poor because you lack love and encouragement; I am 'a friend that sticks closer than a brother.' The world says you are poor because you are persecuted; I say you are more than a conqueror" (Is. 53:5, I Pet. 2:2, 9, Prov. 18:24, Rom. 8:37). The One who spoke was the very One who created everything out of nothing, the One who spoke all things into existence, the One who calls things that are not as though they were. 

"Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?" (James 2:5). No matter who we are, no matter what we own, we are all poor in the eyes of heaven. But God Himself has called us into His kingdom, and by the testimony of Jesus Christ, when we belong to Him, we are kings and priests! "Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven  spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to serve His God and Father--to Him be glory and power for ever and ever!  Amen" (Rev. 1:4b-6).  We are truly blessed!

Thank you, Jesus, for accepting the poverty that I laid at Your feet, and giving me royalty in its place.  All my righteousness is as filthy rags, but You have chosen to love me and to lift me up.  Help me, Lord Christ, to live a life more worthy of Your love and Your blood, and help me to honor You in all I do. Amen.