Willard’s book here is continuing to do what I hoped it would: change my way of thinking. I’m sure I have a ton of erratic ways of thinking about God, myself, others, and just about everything. The trouble is that I’ve thought and lived these ways for so long that I don’t even know they’re wrong. Psalm 139:23-4, anyone? “Search me, O God…”
In these few pages, I’ve learned that I, probably like most Christians, have been thinking about the Beatitudes all wrong (if not you, then more power to ya!). According to what Willard writes, at least, which seems pretty solid to me – it certainly resonates. It makes me wonder: how many other crucial passages of Scripture (especially Jesus’ words) are out there that I’ve grossly misinterpreted?
It’s also a relief to be reminded again of what I should always be aware of: I bring NOTHING to the table in my relationship with God. He provides EVERYTHING. I cannot try to live the Beatitudes and thus achieve God’s blessing. As I’ve learned in these pages, that wasn’t even what Jesus meant with these words! How peaceful it is to be reminded of my freedom from the false gospel of salvation by works.
How thrilling to remember that if God’s grace and blessing extend to even the downtrodden described in the first parts of the Beatitudes, it certainly covers over me! Hallelujah… Reminds me of Brennan Manning’s The Ragamuffin Gospel, another book that changed my perspectives big-time (was that all the way back in High School when I first read that?). “’Jesus totally has this thing for ragamuffins…’”
A quote that resonated with me: “Those poor in spirit are called ‘blessed’ by Jesus, not because they are in a meritorious condition, but because, precisely in spite of and in the midst of their ever so deplorable condition, the rule of the heavens has moved redemptively upon and through them by the grace of Christ.”
So, now, what do the Beatitudes, or at least this one discussed, really mean?
Are there any other passages of Scripture you know of that may have been so skewed by our modern interpretations? Can you share your insight with us?
Aloha, BG
Heard a song lyric that further illustrates the truth that God's blessing is available for anyone, no matter how poor in spirit, and that there is nothing we can do to earn it: "I'll stop this pretending that I can somehow deserve what I already have." Kind of a different facet of the same thing. (The song is "I Need You To Love Me" by Barlow Girl - a rare non-cheesy song that resonates with me every time I hear it, even though it was grossly overplayed on Christian radio. I think it was one of the five songs that K-LOVE played... ever)
ReplyDeleteThere was a meeting of men at noon today in Southlake TX, on a grassy hill under oak shade... James Hilton was teaching. James pastored a youthful Dallas Willard in rural Missouri. He prayed for guidance and revelation for all of us there, said a few words about the Kingdom here and now, and then simply asked the men to tell of their own recent Kingdom sightings... an hour later we thanked God for his very real presence in us and for each other... Seen the Kingdom lately?
ReplyDeleteNow about those Beatitudes... Most Bible translations use the word "blessed"... but Young's Literal Translation uses "happy". "Happy are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven", etc. I believe that this is not wishful thinking... it's simply the truth. Jesus starts with this becuse it is where our journey with God begins... He knew that without acknowledging our spiritual poverty, we can't start our journey with Him... that reaching the kingdom requires our knowing spiritual poverty.
ReplyDeleteMore on "poor in spirit"... remembering that I was and am undeserving of God's grace reminds me that my spiritual poverty continues to bless me... keeps me happy. And, there's nothing I can DO to attain the kingdom. Dallas Willard reminds me that these are BE-atitudes, not DO-atitudes.
ReplyDeleteRichard and Bryan: your reflections have challenged, neigh, haunted me!, over the last few days. I sense that God is giving you both clear insights right now, and I'm benefitting.
ReplyDeleteHere's a passage that I think I have especially misunderstood that I am trying to shift my understanding and experience of. In Philippians 4:8, Paul writes "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." I especially liked this verse when I was a teenager and dreaming of winning athletic contests and pursuing outdoor adventures that fed my spirit. However, as I've grown, I've become aware that Paul's words relate specifically to the two verses before, where he lists lots of challenges (such as poverty) that I doubt he picked out for himself. I'm amazed at Paul's statement that he can be content whether in plenty or in want. I know from my few times in Africa that it takes plenty of God's grace to be content in tough living conditions, but I think that I need even MORE of Christ's stength and grace to live rightly in America right now when Lesley and I are well fed, financially secure and surrounded by family and close friends. I find myself drifting back towards "using," as if this were possible, God's grace, to boost my own ego and dreams, rather than truly seeking His strength to meet the real challenges of life that I often don't pick for myself (difficult students at school, not dwelling on past failures, unselfishly serving others, etc.)
Another passage I have misunderstood is when Jesus says "When you fast..." I have never regularly fasted, but God is pressing on me the need for this right now, especially in the next month when I have extra time away from work, to get re-centered on the things of His kingdom. Aside from food, I know that I need to fast from the internet. There are far too many days that I watch the "Colbert Report" online but don't crack open the Bible or really do the work to connect with God. What does this say about my soul's condition right now when this is true? I want to move on to a better place!
I hear ya on the fasting thing. Listening to music is the thing I've found I have to "fast" from in my life, and definitely the internet more recently since that's become such a big part of everyone's lives. I remember Warren used to fast from coffee every so often...
ReplyDeleteyeah, but fasting from coffee for Warren meant just downgrading from a Venti to a Grande, if memory serves me right... (:
ReplyDelete