A
poor man who oppresses the lowly is like a driving rain which leaves no food. (NASB)
Where I live in
eastern Washington State we get less than 10 inches of rain in the entire year.
Summer is fast approaching and it may be a long hot summer this year. People
think that Washington State is all green---but actually the naturally green
areas are generally on the western slopes of the Cascade Mountain range where
it does rain more. Seattle receives about 37.5 inches of rain a year, mostly in
the wintertime. During the long hot summers the eastern side of the state is
green only where there are irrigated crops. When it rains here there are the complainers
and the rejoicers. Rain is a welcome change to hot windy days. But if the rain
comes when the Bing cherries or the wheat fields are ripe and ready for harvest
then people will nearly be in tears since a hard rain can split the cherries or
cause an entire field of wheat to lay down with the wheat kernals on the ground, ruining either crop. Thus it is
true that a driving rain leaves no food. I have seen cherry and wheat crops devastated.
There is a story
told by Jesus in Matthew 18:21-35 about a slave who had just been forgiven a
huge debt who went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one
hundred days wages. The forgiven slave had his fellow slave, who couldn’t pay
his debt, thrown in jail. How could that poor man ever pay back his debt if he
is in prison? He couldn’t work and earn any living behind bars. That is just an
example of a poor man oppressing the lowly. It is a sad situation similar to
what we often hear about in the news reports today. Crime is noted to be
associated with low economic areas. The poor. The poor we will always have with
us.
What about the poor
in spirit? In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:3, Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs
in the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus came to bless. This “poor” person is one
who is lowly, afflicted, and destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal
riches. Since he is spiritually empty, humble, he is able to be filled, to be seeking
spiritual guidance and is promised the kingdom of heaven, unlike the poor slave
in Jesus parable, who was seeking monetary restitution. We are told in
Philippians 4:11“ Not that I speak from
want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” To be
content with what we have is easy when we have enough, but what about when
people are truly poor. Happy is that one who is seeking Jesus, as Jesus is
promising him a place in heaven. Oh what a glorious day that will be. A home, a
mansion in heaven and a seat at the banquet table with The King.
Are you poor? Poor,
oppressing the lowly, or poor in spirit? Seek Jesus and He will bless you.
Lord,
we seek you, admitting that we are poor in spirit, lacking wisdom. Give us
wisdom, as well as the hope of heaven.
©
2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
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