Spiritual qualities that enrich us
To enter the kingdom of heaven,
then, we must "become as little children." Jesus is
not telling us
to return to our physical childhood (as if we could!), or to take
on a
childish or immature demeanor. He is recommending that we take
on the pure,
innocent childlike qualities that are native to our true
spiritual selves. From my
studies on the First Beatitude, I can sum
up those qualities in three main categories:
Teachableness and receptivity
to good
Trustfulness
Those particular qualities
that seem so natural to most children, are ones that can
be easily lost
sight of as we are burdened with layers of worldliness, materiality,
and mortal egotism. Jesus is telling us that to receive our ownership
of the kingdom
of heaven, we must shed those layers, and let the childlike
qualities shine through
and soften our hearts.
We have work to do.
We must yield to God's will and wisdom. If we don't
forward
this process willingly, or we have been tuning God out of our lives
for a
while, we may have to have more than one jolting experience
to get us to humble
ourselves before God, and ask for His help and
guidance. Even when we do
consecrate ourselves to a more spiritual
life, we must make this choice every day.
The very act of turning in
prayer to God, acknowledging Him as the Supreme
Being, and thanking
Him for all His blessings, is the demonstration of the attitude
of
the "poor in spirit."
*************************************
FURTHER
STUDIES
Many Bible verses, stories, and characters illustrate
the necessity of letting go of
pride and self-will. Eventually
I will write a lesson on teaching children the first
Beatitude,
and will include examples of these Bible stories.
The writings
of Mary Baker Eddy contain numerous citations which relate to
the
First Beatitude and the qualities that have been mentioned
above. These citations
are a great resource for ideas to ponder,
as you focus on finding ways to take on
the attitude of those who
recognize they are "poor in spirit."
CITATIONS ON THE FIRST BEATITUDE
FROM THE WRITINGS OF
MARY BAKER EDDY
"The Poor"
"We cannot choose
for ourselves, but must work out our salvation in the way Jesus
taught.
In meekness and might he was found preaching the gospel to the poor."
(S&H 30)
"Praying for humility with whatever fervency of expression
does not always mean a
desire for it. If we turn away from the poor,
we are not ready to receive the reward
of Him who blesses the poor."
(S&H 8)
"The poor suffering heart needs its rightful nutriment,
such as peace, patience in
tribulation, and a priceless sense of the
dear Father's loving-kindness." (S&H 365)
"The rich in spirit
help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same
Principle,
or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother's need and
supplieth
it, seeking his own in another's good. Love giveth to the
least spiritual idea might,
immortality, and goodness, which shine
through all as the blossom shines through the
bud." (S&H 518)
"The loss of material objects of affection sunders the dominant ties
of earth and
points to heaven." (Retrospection and Introspection 31)
"The feverish pride of sects and systems is the death's-head at the
feast of Love, but
Christianity is ever storming sin in its citadels,
blessing the poor in spirit and keeping
peace with God." (Message
of 1901)
"The Stranger enters a massive carved stone mansion, and
saith unto the dwellers
therein, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' But they
understand not his
saying. . . . These are believers of different sects, and of no sect;
some, so-called Christian Scientists in sheep's clothing; and all
'drunken without
wine.' They have small conceptions of spiritual riches,
few cravings for the immortal,
but are puffed up with the applause
of the world: they have plenty of pelf, and fear not
to fall upon
the Stranger, seize his pearls, throw them away, and afterwards try
to kill
him." (Mis. 325)
"Is poverty crying aloud in the land? Then
we should know the purpose of God is rich
in blessing to the poor
-- in Spirit. The fullness of the earth belongs to the healthful
circulation
of honesty, virtue and progress in the footsteps of Truth." (quoted
in
Divinity Course and General Collectanea, pg. 97)
Becoming "as little
children"
"The sharp experiences of belief in the supposititious life
of matter, as well as our
disappointments and ceaseless woes, turn
us like tired children to the arms of divine
Love. Then we begin to
learn Life in divine Science. Without this process of
weaning, 'Canst
thou by searching find out God?'" (S&H 322)
"Jesus loved little
children because of their freedom from wrong and their receptive-
ness of right. While age is halting between two opinions or battling
with false beliefs,
youth makes easy and rapid strides towards Truth."
(S&H 236)
"Willingness to become as a little child and to leave
the old for the new, renders
thought receptive of the advanced idea.
Gladness to leave the false landmarks and joy
to see them disappear,
-- this disposition helps to precipitate the ultimate harmony.
The
purification of sense and self is a proof of progress." (S&H 323)
"When, as little children, we are receptive, become willing to accept
the divine
Principle and rule of being, as unfolded in divine Science,
the interpretation therein
will be found to be the Comforter that
leadeth into all truth." (Mis. 189)
"The new birth is not the work
of a moment. It begins with moments, and goes on
with years; moments
of surrender to God, of childlike trust and joyful adoption of
good;
moments of self-abnegation, self-consecration, heaven-born hope, and
spiritual
love." (Mis. 15)
"A child can measurably understand Christian
Science, for, through his simple faith
and purity, he takes in its
spiritual sense that puzzles the man. The child not only
accepts Christian
Science more readily than the adult, but he practices it. This
notable
fact proves that the so-called fog of this Science obtains not in
the Science,
but in the material sense which the adult entertains
of it." (Message of 1900)
Teachableness and Receptiveness
"Humanity
advances slowly out of sinning sense into spiritual understanding;
unwillingness to learn all things rightly, binds Christendom with
chains." (S&H 95)
"Parents should teach their children at the
earliest possible period the truths of health
and holiness. Children
are more tractable than adults, and learn more readily to love
the
simple verities that will make them happy and good." (S&H 236)
"Trials teach mortals not to lean on a material staff, -- a broken
reed, which pierces
the heart." (S&H 66)
"A third class of thinkers
build with solid masonry. They are sincere, generous,
noble, and are
therefore open to the approach and recognition of Truth. To teach
Christian Science to such as these is no task. They do not incline
longingly to error,
whine over the demands of Truth, nor play the
traitor for place and power." (S&H 450)
"We know that a desire
for holiness is requisite in order to gain holiness; but if we
desire
holiness above all else, we shall sacrifice everything for it. We
must be
willing to do this, that we may walk securely in the only
practical road to holiness.
Prayer cannot change the unalterable Truth,
nor can prayer alone give us an under-
standing of Truth; but prayer,
coupled with a fervent habitual desire to know and do
the will of
God, will bring us into all Truth. Such a desire has little need of
audible
expression. It is best expressed in thought and life." (S&H
11)
"When the sick or the sinning awake to realize their need of what
they have not, they
will be receptive of divine Science, which gravitates
towards Soul and away from
material sense, removes thought from the
body, and elevates even mortal mind to the
contemplation of something
better than disease and sin." (S&H 323)
"We cannot fill vessels
already full. They must first be emptied. Let us disrobe error.
Then,
when the winds of God blow, we shall not hug our tatters close about
us."
(S&H 201)
"If all who seek his commemoration through material
symbols will take up the cross,
heal the sick, cast out evils, and
preach Christ, or Truth, to the poor, -- the receptive
thought, --
they will bring in the millennium." (S&H 34)
"In the walk to Emmaus,
Jesus was known to his friends by the words, which made
their hearts
burn within them, and by the breaking of bread. The divine Spirit,
which
identified Jesus thus centuries ago, has spoken through the
inspired Word and will
speak through it in every age and clime. It
is revealed to the receptive heart, and is
again seen casting out
evil and healing the sick." (S&H 46)
Humbleness and Humility
"Experience
shows that humility is the first step in Christian Science, wherein
all is
controlled, not by man or laws material, but by wisdom, Truth,
and Love." (Mis. 354)
"When divine Love gains admittance to a humble
heart, that individual ascends the
scale of miracles and meets the
warmest wish of men and angels. Clad in invincible
armor, grasping
the sword of Spirit, you have started in this sublime ascent, and
should reach the mount of revelation; for if ye would run, who shall
hinder you? So
dear, so due, to God is obedience, that it reaches
high heaven in the common walks
of life, and it affords even me a perquisite
of joy." (My. 188)
"Blindness and self-righteousness cling fast to
iniquity. When the Publican's wail
went out to the great heart of
Love, it won his humble desire." (S&H 448)
"The baptism of repentance
is indeed a stricken state of human consciousness,
wherein mortals
gain severe views of themselves; a state of mind which rends the
veil
that hides mental deformity. Tears flood the eyes, agony struggles,
pride rebels,
and a mortal seems a monster, a dark, impenetrable cloud
of error; and falling on the
bended knee of prayer, humble before
God, he cries, 'Save, or I perish.' Thus Truth,
searching the heart,
neutralizes and destroys error." (Mis. 203)
"When a hungry heart petitions
the divine Father-Mother god for bread, it is not
given a stone, --
but more grace, obedience, and love. If this heart, humble and
trustful,
faithfully asks divine Love to feed it with the bread of heaven, health,
holiness, it will be conformed to a fitness to receive the answer
to its desire; then
will flow into it the 'river of His pleasure,'
the tributary of divine Love, and great
growth in Christian Science
will follow, -- even that joy which finds one's own in
another's good."
(Mis. 127)
"What we most need is the prayer of fervent desire for
growth in grace, expressed
in patience, meekness, love, and good deeds."
(S&H 4)
"Human pride is human weakness. Self-knowledge, humility,
and love are divine
strength." (Mis. 358)
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Citations on the First Beatitude
