Today’s reading: Luke 6:12-38

Blessed...

Blessed...
Blessed...
Blessed...
Woe...
Woe...
Woe...
Woe...
- Luke 6:20-26

I love how Luke lays this out, quite a bit different from how Matthew presents it in Matthew 5 (though I like it there, too).

Four things we fear the most...
1) Poverty
2) Hunger
3) Weeping
4) Hated by the masses

Jesus says that He finds those whom we pity and finds them blessed. He meets them right where they are. They are ready to follow Him, no matter what the cost. The rich. the gorged, the seemingly happy, those whom the crowds adore -- these are the ones who are in real danger. They've proven that they don't need God. Or have they?

First priority Jesus sees as he works on us? To redefine what we see as successful. It could be that what we are trying to attain to in this world is the very thing that has the potential to separate us from Jesus for all of eternity.

By the way, end note, Greek word for "Woe" is ouai and can also be translated as disaster or horror. Keep me in your hand, Jesus.