Humility, the Magnet that Draws God to You.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

That is how the beatitudes/Sermon on the Mount starts. Lets rewrite it…

1. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
2. Humility is the key to getting into/staying in a relationship with God.

What is said here is that following God is difficult, impossible, because the demands of the Beatitudes/Sermon on the Mount are too great. Yet they are achievable. Achievable not in trying to be what the Beatitudes say we aught to be, but in getting into a relationship with God. And when in relationship with God, all these are by products and an auto way of living.

But how do we get into a relationship with God, the key to this is Baptism, and the meaning Jesus attaches to it – as understood by his conversation with Nicodemus in John 3 – Rebirth; that is to discard human understanding of everything, and become like a child and relearn from God, who He is and His ways. For this we require humility and trust. Humility to accept God and what he demands of us, even if it means to follow Him without a penny in your pocket, knowing he is good and dependable and will provide for us, just like a father provides for his children. And the lessons we learn at Jesus’ feet also demand that we  in humility accept that at times we need to extend the other cheek, or walk the extra mile or be last. All these are not for the sake of remaining humble, and if we need to advance the kingdom, it means to be God’s Kingdom, and God’s Kingdom starts with us.

That is what I see Jesus telling us when he says to,  “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Because when we are humble, then…

• We are blessed for the kingdom of heaven is ours.
• We shall be the balm of all the earth.
• We are the leaven in the dough, flavouring the earth.
• Righteousness will be seen is us because people will see Jesus through us.
• We will be co-working with God as He makes available His Mercy to a hurting world.
• Like Simeon and Anna, we will be privy to God’s secrets.
• People will call us God’s Children, because our work and play will reveal God to them.
• And the way we extend our other cheek will provide the reality of God to a disbelieving world.