"When Things Go Beyond the Spirit" (True Celebrities Part I)

Fiction:

I strolled to my office window and pushed the blinds apart so I could look outside. Everything seemed calm out there. But right there in the parking lot sat my BMW-645 staring right back at me with its big old headlights. Could it be beckoning for me to come back to it? "Come back to me Temisan, please come back." Of course not! It was just the fear in me speaking- the part of me that wanted to run away from my office and head back home. I wanted to run towards the elevator, go down to the first floor, and waltz through the big black doors of this huge building. I wanted to run into the receiving arms of my BMW-645.


I was afraid, so much that I almost peed in my pants. And it was all because of that email. At 7.30a.m, Mr. Rufus, the CEO of Inspiring Missions sent me an email. Thinking it was a mass email to the entire office I opened it with glee, only to find out the email was just for me.

Ms. Temisan,

It has come to my attention that you are the best at the project management for your branch. If possible, I would like to schedule a crucial meeting with you this afternoon. During this meeting, I will propose that you take over the leadership in certain areas of the branch. Please respond as soon as you can.

Thank you

R. Matthew

I reflected on the note once again. I had only been working for this company for 6 months. This was certainly beyond my spirit. God, this is all You. Thank You for bringing me to where I am today. I bless Your Name. I will be a leader, because You will provide the strength and the wisdom for me to be one.

* * * * * *

I'm writing a new series called "True Celebrities" where I plan to talk about the Beatitudes (Matthew 5)-the ones whose footsteps are carefully watched by the eyes of God.

Who are these people? They surround you. They can be found amongst the six billion, six hundred and ninety-two million, thirty thousand, two hundred and seventy-seven people of the world, and you may even be part of them. The first category of true celebrities is the "Poor in Spirit."

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

Temisan's words at the end of the story depicts a certain "poorness of spirit." What does it mean to be "poor in spirit"? The Forerunner Commentary gives us an idea: "Of the two Greek words translated "poor" in the new testament, Penes designates the working poor who have little or no property (e.g. the poor widow); Ptochos signifies total dependence on others for help (e.g. poor in spirit)." They are two different things.

I thought about it some more and got it: Ptochos was what Jesus was referring to when He said "blessed are the poor in spirit." But this deficiency or poorness is not to any man, and not as a result of lack of money or property, but it is unto God. It signifies someone who knows that many things in life are not by our own strengths or prowess, but by God's grace. When you are poor in spirit, you will walk around with your head held high, but deep within you will know your success comes only from God. To be poor in spirit involves a certain incompleteness or deficiency without God. A sort of "I cannot do this myself" attitude or "this is beyond my own spirit" way of life. This category of people belong to the true celebrities list in God's book, because they give Him all the glory.

Do you often tell yourself that you are where you are right now because God is working on you? Then you must be threading on things that are beyond your spirit and bigger than yourself. Are you?

Photo by RedSeaProject (Flickr)