Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
—Luke 6.21
It’s not that it’s great to be poor.
Or hungry or mourning.
But that blessing comes from God,
not from wealth or satisfaction or happiness.
Not that those who are at ease now
will be punished later,
but that ease is not life,
and if that’s what you seek,
sooner or later you will mourn what you missed.
So don’t miss it.
God, turn my heart like a magnet
toward the love that endures
all poverty, grief and powerlessness,
the life that is pure gift. Pure gift.
—February 12, 2019