While deciding how I wanted to crop the above photo I almost cropped it to leave off the broken flower on the bottom left and the broken flower and leaves on the top right. When I looked at it though, it seemed the fragile nature of life was no longer visible. Isn’t that often how we want to view life? We want to ignore the broken people, those who are poor in Spirit.

In leading into the sermon on the mount, the bible tells us that Jesus had looked upon the crowds and had compassion on them.

You see, at times in our lives we are broken, we are poor in spirit and it is then that we need comfort from those who are vigorous or full of the spirit.

Sometimes, we can gauge how full we are by what we are paying attention to. If we are unable to notice and tend to the broken in our midst, then perhaps we need to recognize that we are in need of being in the midst of the unbroken. By making oneself visible, by daring to let your brokenness show, you allow those with compassion to see you and seeing you, they will find a way to tend to you during your time of need.

Resist the thought of cutting yourself out of the picture, taking yourself out of the crowd that follows Jesus. Follow, listen, receive the words – You will be comforted – trust in that promise. Open yourself up to receiving the comfort that the compassionate are willing to give.

Blessed are the poor in the spirit
for they will be comforted.

See how many more flowers in the picture are not broken? Notice how your eye is naturally drawn toward them. Let your heart follow your eyes and move toward those who are full of light and life and be blessed in the comfort they give.

Also – if the only people you are with are in a constant state of jubilation, perhaps it would be good to open your eyes and hearts to the idea of reaching out to one who is not as jubilant as you are feeling. Perhaps coming alongside them and sincerely asking how they are feeling could help them pass through their time of brokenness a little easier. Perhaps you could take the time to be a source of comfort in their time of being ‘poor in the spirit.’

Let us pray,

Lord, thank you for the gift of other people in our midst. Whether we are poor in spirit or full of spirit, you have given us to each other. Help us to love one another as you love us, in good times and in bad times. Grant us the gifts of compassion and the ability to comfort others. Bless us and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Help those who are poor in spirit to trust in the promise of being comforted and the ability and strength to wait for the comfort of those who are filled with the Holy Spirit. We ask this so that you might be glorified in and through us, especially in times of our weakness. Thank you for the strength found in waiting upon your comfort so that we might receive it in accordance to your time and promise. AMEN