God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. Matthew 5:3-5

 

Most people in the world spend their lives trying to outrun poverty, but do you know even the rich can be poor in spirit?

 

Simon was describing his visit to a center for homeless widows in the country of Rwanda. Hearing these women’s stories, he was overwhelmed with grief on their behalf. A few minutes later, the women stopped for lunch, and as was their tradition, they sang together. The words were simple, and they danced as they sang: “God is here. He is here. He is here!” Each of the women had faced tragedy and incredible hardship, but they had tapped into a joy that Simon had never seen.

 

The Bible says that “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth” (Matthew 5:3-5).

 

These beautiful widows remind us that we can access a real, heavenly kingdom of joy and love. But it’s not accessed through privilege or achievement. Instead, we come before God in simple need, trusting entirely in Him.

 

Henri Nouwen said, “Poverty has many forms. We have to ask ourselves: ‘What is my poverty?’ Is it lack of money, lack of emotional stability, lack of a loving partner, lack of security, lack of safety, lack of self-confidence? Each human being has a place of poverty. That’s the place where God wants to dwell! Let’s dare to see our poverty as the land where our treasure is hidden.”[1]

 

[1]Nouwen, Henri. The Way of the Heart: Connecting with God Through Prayer, Wisdom, and Silence. Ballantine Books, 2003, pp 16.