Our fearless leaders at The Well called us together for a ministry update yesterday.
Those two have more energy and passion than a room full of tele-evangelist! LOVE their vision and focus in stepping along side those who might struggle in our community. The purpose is to NOT take on someone or some group as a "Project". The purpose is to step along side and grow community while listening and looking for solutions. Working together to form a better community is our purpose.
The most beautiful by-product of the services offered at The Well has been seeing community grow with those who are members. They have stepped up to the plate--shared with one another, cared for one another, prayed for one another, and perhaps most important assumed ministry roles within the community. They are reaching out to other friends and neighbors and bringing them into the fold. They are volunteering in the community. They are being the hands and feet of Christ for those in their sphere of influence. THAT is what it is all about!
OFF my soap box and back to the subject~
Most of my readers will think I am a little off center when I ask them if they are living in poverty. We certainly do not lack for anything to eat, a place to sleep, shoes on our feet, or friends and family to love us. Why in the world's eyes we are the rich--the affluent--the haves. As was explained to us yesterday, there is more to poverty than material comforts.
Look up the definition of poverty in the dictionary.
1. the state of being extremely poor
2. the state of being inferior in quality or insufficient in amount
3. powerlessness
When the truly materially poor are asked what poverty is their answer is strikingly different from ours. We tend to address the basic material needs of man. Those living in poverty give a starkly different definition. They are more apt to address anger, isolation, fear, voicelessness, and powerlessness to name a few. It is always in the eyes of the beholder as to how anything is defined.
When I think of poverty, not having enough comes to mind. The Well strives to address the poverty of four completely different areas.
POVERTY OF
Community between God and man
Community within ourselves- Do we see ourselves as God does?
Community between man and God's creation
Community between man and his fellow man
When any of these areas are insufficient or inferior, we are living in poverty. Our goal should be to establish or strengthen any of the areas where we are poor. Start at the top and strengthen your community with God and in most cases the others will follow in a naturally flowing progression.
Why else would Jesus include the "poor in spirit" in His famous sermon? It seems to me, that we are not automatically blessed by being spiritually poor. We are blessed when we recognize we are spiritually poor--confess our insufficiency and powerlessness without God. BUT GOD --will fill us to overflowing and we will grow in our realization of being in The Kingdom. We are in and of the Kingdom because of Jesus paying our fee for admission. Jesus showed us the beauty of community by modeling how to be a part of community.
I am praying we are all RICH! Not by the standards of the world, but by the standards of that with real meaning-that with utmost importance. May we overflow with the fruits of the spirit as we trek through this world.
"God blesses those who are poor
and realizes their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs."
New Living Translation
Matthew 5:3
Poverty comes in many shapes and forms, Lulu, as you've so beautifully pointed out here. May we all be aware of being poor in spirit that God might bless us and help us to bless those in need in the community around us.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!