CamDevo

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I’m on probation.

Actually we’re all on probation.

I deserve a death sentence, but Jesus died in my place so I’m free. But does the justice system metaphor end there? The real judgment day hasn’t happened yet. So I’m in an in-between time. I guess I’ll call it probation.

It matters what I do with my life during probation. I was shown mercy, so I am expected to show mercy. Because when judgment day comes I’m going to need more mercy.

In Matthew 18 Jesus tells the parable of “The Unforgiving Servant”. It speaks of these two needs for mercy. A servant owes a king a ton of money, but when the servant pleads for mercy, the king forgives the entire debt instead of sending him to debtor’s prison. The servant goes free but is apparently on probation because he is being watched. Sadly, the servant refuses to forgive any of the small debts that are owed to him by various people. He sends them to debtor’s prison. The king is told about this. Now comes the second judgment. Because of the servant’s lack of mercy, the king refuses to continue the mercy he initially extended to him. The servant ends up in prison.

In today’s verse, Jesus is explaining the positive outcome I can have instead of what happened to the Unforgiving Servant. I have been given an enormous gift — forgiveness of a huge, unpayable debt, freedom, and life. I can choose to use this freedom to show mercy or withhold it. I have the choice, and all the power.

In Matthew 25 Jesus also talked about judgment day when people will be divided into “sheep” and “goats.” The sheep are apparently those who lived out God’s mercy. They did things like feed the hungry, visit prisoners, take care of sick people, house strangers…. They were rewarded with mercy and eternal life. The goats didn’t do anything bad necessarily, but they didn’t do any of those merciful things. They thoughtlessly ignored the needy in their world. And they were sentenced to death.

Today’s verse seems pretty innocent. But in light of Jesus’s other teachings on the matter, it seems like a dire warning. I’d much rather be a sheep.

It’s important to note that the Bible makes it clear I can’t earn my way into being a sheep by doing good deeds. I am a sheep because I know God, love Him, and therefore love His people and want to extend mercy. It’s just how a sheep behaves. Goats, on the other hand, are people who simply don’t know God.

Dear God,

I so much want to be a sheep at judgment day! Please show me everyday where my mercy is needed and wanted. Open my eyes to the needs around me. Please forgive me when my heart is hard and teach me how to soften it. And give me the wisdom and courage to extend your Good News to any goats I encounter along the way — the best mercy of all.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I’m fortunate to never have truly been in danger of starvation or dying of thirst. I’ve been hungry plenty — very hungry at times in my life — and thirsty, but it’s never been life threatening. Hunger and thirst are unpleasant experiences all humans share and understand which is probably why Jesus used it here. His audience at His Sermon on the Mount definitely would have understood hunger.

But hunger for righteousness?

Jesus could have said, “Blessed are those who seek righteousness…” or “blessed are those who want righteousness really badly.” But he wanted a deeper longing, a desperate need, like hunger. Without food, I will eventually starve to death. Without righteousness I will die as well. Jesus wants His followers to recognize this need, a need just as vital as food and water.

And it’s a need only Jesus can meet. I am utterly incapable of being righteous on my own. An errant thought, and I’ve lost it. A careless word, a lazy gesture, a lack of concern, casually choosing my comfort over someone else’s… These are all things I do every day without much thought, but they all push any chance I have at being righteous farther and farther away.

But righteousness is plentiful at Jesus’s table. He offers it freely if I step up with an appetite, if I tell Him how very hungry and empty I am. I will be filled.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for the rich bounty of your righteousness. I am in desperate need of it. Please forgive me for my failures today. Thank you for pointing them out, but thank you for not leaving me there, starving. I want to be filled with your righteousness.

“Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Things pop into my head when I come to write about a Bible verse. Every day, I think nothing will come. But so far, God has always whispered some little idea or funny thing to contemplate.

Today for whatever reason, it popped into my head how humility is unique in the way that lying is unique. I can never say, “I am lying,” and have it be true. Similarly, I can never say, “I am humble,” and have that be true. The moment I claim humility, I am bragging and am no longer humble.

If I am truly humble, I can’t really claim it. Other people would have to claim it for me.

Humility really has everything to do with how other people feel treated by me. Do I put their needs before mine, or do I get mine first and then share? Do I make a face when I do someone an unpleasant favor, or do I smile and say “how else can I help?” Do I look at my watch when someone is late, or do I tell them how glad I am to see them? Do I talk about Jesus to people who may not know Him, or do I worry about being labeled a “Jesus-freak” in my circle of friends? Do I build other people up even when they tear me down, or do I retaliate when hurt?

One day, God will make a new heaven and a new earth, and it will be glorious! One of the ways that it will be glorious is being filled with humble heirs who give and love and listen.

Dear God,

Thank you for the promise of inheriting your new earth if I am humble. I realize that to follow you, I must admit my failure. I can’t do that without humility. Teach me the requirements for humility every day. Show me where I am selfish and proud. Forgive me and help me change. I want to live among your humble heirs.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Why would Jesus want people to mourn? Or provide a special blessing for those who are mourning?

As I contemplated these questions, I quickly came to the conclusion that everyone in this life is in mourning. From the moment I was born I was mourning my loss, loudly. I lost my warm, quiet comfortable space that was everything I’d known to that point. I was thrust into a bright, cold, loud chaos where I was poked and prodded and flopped around. Suddenly I knew pain, confusion, and loss. Mourning.

Fortunately good things were added soon — a warm blanket, a mother’s smile, food — and I have known many joys and blessings since then. But I have also experienced countless more losses, some more heartbreaking than others. And I am not at all unique in that.

So if everyone is mourning something, why would Jesus make a point to call it out and declare a blessing over those who mourn?

The answer lies in what I do with my mourning. Do I let it lead me into hopelessness and despair? Or something else…?

Jesus was telling the crowds of mostly sick and poverty-stricken people listening to Him — outcasts who were mourning more than most — that their pain could actually bring them closer to God. Their pain didn’t have to isolate them anymore. He wanted them to know that comfort was available and readily given. If they turned to God in their mourning, He would comfort them in a way only the Creator of the universe and a Being of pure love can.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for your promise of comfort. Teach me to turn over my mourning — big and small — to you. Forgive me for the times when I allow it to lead me away from you. Draw me close to you instead where I can find the only lasting comfort.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I’ve always wondered about “poor in spirit” and what that meant. I notice some translations leave out “in the spirit” and just say the poor are blessed. That may be, but why did many translators include the rest?

I’m no Bible scholar, but my translation references the following verse from Isaiah:

“This is the Lord’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at my word.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66‬:‭2‬ ‭CSB‬‬

When Jesus was blessing the poor in spirit, I think He was thinking about this kind of person. And what is a blessing other than God looking favorably on me? There’s nothing better. The Author of time and space looks at me and is glad He made me. He wants to hang out with me so He blesses me with the kingdom of heaven so I can forever be His neighbor. That’s the best property to own.

There has been a lot of talk about generational wealth. And it’s a valid problem and important consideration. Inheriting property is a huge benefit to having a secure future. With any land, at least I have a place to live in relative peace. But the better the property, the better situated I am. If my inheritance is in a sulfur swamp, I might be able to make something of it. Maybe. But if my inheritance is on 5th Avenue in New York City with a sweeping view of Central Park, I will be pretty secure.

Even better than the best property you can think of on earth though is a plot in the kingdom of heaven. If I am poor in spirit, Jesus says He gives me the kingdom of heaven. The best inheritance ever. And every plot there is the best plot (somehow, through a miracle of God I don’t have to understand yet).

So how do I be “poor in spirit”? The best way to be humble and tremble at God’s word, as Isaiah described, is to remember exactly who God is. Just contemplate how vast and powerful and holy and beautiful He is compared with who I am, what I can do, what I have done… It’s very humbling. Job learned this when God came to Him in a whirlwind. He fell on his face and screamed, “Behold, I am insignificant!” When I compare myself to God, those are the words that come to my mind. And God blesses me there with an eternal inheritance on His property.

Dear God,

I am insignificant. And yet you notice me, love me, forgive me, and want to hang out with me. I don’t deserve it and could never earn your favor so thank you for bestowing it anyway. I look forward to inheriting a place next door to you in heaven. Remind me of my insignificance when I start being haughty or thinking I’m better than any of your other children.

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I always thought the word “navel-gazing” was funny and clever. And it is a really apt and descriptive word for American society. But we seem to go beyond self-absorption. We want other people to be absorbed by our (pretend) splendor as well. From selfie posts to influencer-as-career, we seem to crave attention and it’s all directed inwardly.

Where has this gotten us? Despair, depression, loneliness, suicides, isolation, desperation, confusion all seem to be plentiful, especially among those who navel-gaze and participate in our group navel-gazing the most. Attention is the wrong thing to be seeking.

So what’s the solution? David knew, and he describes it in today’s verse. If I stop looking in the mirror (or at my own navel) and look to God instead, I will have so much joy it will radiate from me! That sounds nice.

David also says God will rescue me from all my fears if I seek Him. Notice that he doesn’t say God will make all my problems disappear. They may stick around. I may still have the same overwhelming bills, the same broken relationships, the same chronic disease… but I won’t be afraid to face these problems anymore. And that means a lot. Fear is one of the devil’s favorite tools to stifle me, to keep me idle, unproductive, and self-absorbed. God rescues me from fear, taking fear right out of the devil’s toolbox. Without fear, I can trust that God loves me, He will protect me, He will give me strength to do what I need as I obey Him and love people.

But I won’t have this assurance if I stare at my navel all day, if I stare at my problems and worry. I need to look up, look out, look to see what jobs God has for me today, how I’m meant to love someone today with my radiant, unashamed face.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for rescuing me from fear that steals all my energy and creativity and resolve. Show me how you want me to be courageous today. Replace my fear with joy that radiates out from me to bring glory to you. Forgive me for worrying and wasting time and energy on things I know you will deal with if I look to you instead.

“Humility, the fear of the Lord, results in wealth, honor, and life.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I read this and my first thought was, “Well, that’s clearly not true.”

And it’s not, right? In fact, the Bible itself says otherwise. If you’re reading the Bible in order, you recently finished reading Job. That guy feared the Lord. God said so Himself. And yet, he was really poor, sick, and despised for a big chunk of his life. So what’s up?

Proverbs is one of the “wisdom” books in the Bible. The other two are Ecclesiastes and Job. They balance each other out. Proverbs is full of pithy advice that is true generally. It points out that people who fear the Lord have wisdom and will generally build a better life. But we all know life is full of exceptions. Job shows me one glaring exception. Ecclesiastes contemplates all the anomalies – we all die, our lives are just blips in the grand scheme of things, and we can’t really control any of it. Dark stuff. But even the author of Ecclesiastes comes to the same conclusion found in today’s verse. That is, my life will be better if I humbly fear God — trust Him, listen to Him, obey Him, love Him. And don’t worry about the rest.

I will still have many troubles. Guaranteed. But if I look to God and follow His wise advice, He will guide me down paths that work out better in the long run for me and everyone else. Plus He will be with me through it all. I will have what I need, my integrity will garner respect from people who matter, and I will have eternal life.

Dear God,

Thank you for your gift of wisdom. I humbly accept it. Teach me how to use it in this fallen world. Forgive me for worrying about things I can’t control. Remind me that you are in control and you love me.

“Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭31‬:‭24‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I’m not a gambler, but I have been in casinos a few times. The lights and the sounds are intended to thrill the senses, and each machine has been designed to draw me in, to entice me into dropping my coins into its slot. How do I choose? Which machine is most likely to pay out?

My hope is like the coins in a casino. I have so many options when choosing where to put my hope, things that seem exciting with bright lights and cheerful music. Do I put my hope in my career, striving after wealth and status? Do I put my hope in a new, exciting relationship? Do I put my hope in a house in a safe neighborhood? Do I put my hope in cryptocurrency or a go-fund-me page or becoming an influencer or more school or a better car or a more stylish haircut?

The list is endless. There are countless things in life that seem worthy or exciting or promising where I can put my hope. But how can I choose? How do I know which one will pay out and give me what I seek?

David, the author of today’s verse, knew the answer. The only sure bet is to put my hope in the Lord. He always pays out with exactly what I need at exactly the right time, even if it’s not what I expect.

In that casino, there is a small slot machine in a back corner with a simple sign on it marked “I AM”. It is beautiful but not showy. It is quiet, so most people walk right by it. If I look closely I see that there is only one symbol on the reel so every time I pull the lever, I will get a winning line. I pull out my small bag of hope and drop all my coins into the machine one by one, pull the lever, and, sure enough, I get Jesus, Jesus, Jesus which comes with the prize of infinite love and eternal life.

Dear God,

I’m so grateful that you are a sure bet. I can put all of my hope in you, and you will not disappoint me. I can go through my day with courage and certainty that you are with me. You won’t cheat me or abandon me. Ever. Forgive me for putting my hope in anything else. Nothing is sure like you.

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭CSB‬‬

This verse is very near to my heart and one of the few I have had success memorizing. Many years ago I was the technical director of a small software company that I helped found. The job was my whole life which is not healthy. After years of devoting everything, all my time and energy and “brain space”, to this job I was really struggling. I was lonely and tired and sick, physically and emotionally. I felt trapped. Quitting was out of the question. I was single and had rent to pay. Plus this career was my identity. Who would I be, what would I do, how would I live if I quit?

I remember praying during lunch one day and this verse came to me. And it came back to me again and again over the next few days. Through this verse God was telling me to quit my job. To trust Him with what’s next.

You may read this verse and wonder how I came to that conclusion. It doesn’t say, “Quit your job.” But at that time in my life, it was as clear as that to me. My job represented “this age” or the “pattern of this world” as some translations put it. In our society, working hard and moving up “the ladder” in your career is the pattern. Earning more money, having power and status, having a cool answer to the “what do you do?” question…. Why would I throw all that away?

Because my job took all my time, I had little time for church or Bible study or prayer. I knew that was a problem, but I was in denial until this verse got stuck in my head. God kept bringing it back to me saying “My will is good, pleasing, and perfect. Trust me.”

I was miserable, but I still couldn’t quit. Then one day I decided I should just kill myself. That would solve everything. God rammed this verse back into my head. So I agreed to quit. If I was still miserable, I could always revisit my plan B.

Well, I still couldn’t quit, but I took a leave of absence. Ha! As soon as I was free of the office though I knew I was never going back. My misery was lifted, and I began to piece a life together. I spent time with God, and I discovered joy and peace. And through a series of astonishing miracles, I even ended up living in a beautiful house rent-free by house-sitting for a couple in my church who had moved overseas.

God has proven Himself faithful to me again and again when I have agreed to take the tiniest reluctant step towards trusting Him. God is worth the risk. His will is good, pleasing, and perfect.

Dear God,

Thank you for reminding me of your faithfulness to me. I know that I can trust you. I don’t know why I forget that and spend time worrying. Forgive me for that. Help me to seek and discern your will in all things.