Have you ever been at a restaurant with friends and the checks are split for each person? Then each person starts handing their debit or credit cards to the server to settle the check. You hand over your card and inside your gut is a rumbling of fear that you might not have enough funds, or credit to cover your check. Maybe you were at a drive-thru window, or in line with others behind you at an “order here” restaurant. And then BOOM! You hear those dreaded words, “I’m sorry, your card was declined.” Been there, done that. It can leave you on the walk of shame as you go to the car and sort through your loose change, come back in and still need someone to bail you out. Nobody wants to walk that walk, or need that help.
The thing I hate the most about the times when this happens is how I fall into paranoia, thinking other folks are judging me. In my head, I can hear them saying,“Poor guy, he can’t even cover the cost of his Happy Meal.” I wanted to make up excuses about why the card wasn’t good. I wanted those folks to know that I really did have money, or that I once had money. Maybe if they believed that, I wouldn’t feel quite as bad about myself.
This is a micro look at what I believe Romans 3:23 states; “that we all have fallen short of the glory of God.” A life without Jesus will always be short of the required price we owe. We all need help. There’s a big difference between a walk of shame out of a restaurant and being short of the price we owe for every selfish and sinful act, thought, or reaction. That is a price tag that nobody else can pay, but Christ alone.
It’s incredibly humbling to ask someone to pick up your check because you are short of what you need. But if they pick up your tab and pay your bill, you’d be pretty grateful, wouldn’t you?
To recognize and act on our spiritual poverty to the Divine is essential to turning loose the immeasurable riches found in Christ, the Lord. In our human state, it’s frowned upon to be needy, but the Divine welcomes it. He promises that our poverty (poorness in spirit) will be met with the abundant riches of His grace. I Love That!
Watch this – When grace meets our poverty of spirit, it inspires our gratitude for all that the Divine has done and is doing for us. In our recognition of poorness of spirit, He grants us His righteousness. That reminds me of one of my favorite songs that we sing at Sugar Hill Church:
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3
Have the Greatest Wednesday, Ever – AChuck
