Reminder. Uganda has been a huge reminder in regards to Kingdom Values. You see, what has come to be known as “The Prosperity Gospel” is extremely prevalent here in Uganda. Many people say they love and follow Jesus here for the hope that they may receive miracles, money, security, etc. Simply put, people are saying this, “Sure, I will follow Jesus as long as the payment is good enough!” The problem is that when these things don’t come, these “payments”, their faith is washed away in the storm due to their faith being built upon the sand and not the rock.
As I constantly meet these struggling Ugandans who were told by Spiritually Superior, Financially Superior, and just all around Superior Ugandans that if they follow Christ then everything will be made perfect in their bank account, health, family, etc. I can’t help but always go back to the beatitudes in Luke 6 and share the beauty with them.
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh
The list goes on. But unlike Matthew, Luke includes the “Woes”
Woe to you who are rich
Woe to you who are well fed
Woe to you who laugh now
Herein, Jesus is saying, “Wealth, comfort, power, money, and food can’t be your God substitute. These are the idols of the world and I’ve come to free you from these things. If you build your life around these things they will not satisfy.” Just because you have money doesn’t mean you have favor, and being broke doesn’t mean that you don’t. But woe to you who love the things of this world far more than you love God.
Now again, Jesus isn’t saying that you need to seek out exclusion or poverty, but that you prize these hard times because you see the benefits of when it happens. Jesus makes it known that if you authentically follow him you will be mocked, persecuted, experience brokenness, and loss. To prize those things means, “I know what goodness these things are doing when they come. Oh God how you are removing my grip from the idols of the world so that I may cling more firmly to Jesus, my precious savior!”
Here are my modern day Beatitudes:
Blessed are you as the market dips
Blessed are you when you can’t sell your house
Blessed are you who has college debt and has no job
Blessed are you when you lose your job
Blessed are you when you friend commits suicide
Blessed are you who seeks a spouse and remains single
Blessed are when you miscarry
Blessed are you when your child leaves the faith
BLESSED ARE YOU, when all these things happen to you and you still say, “Jesus alone is enough” for yours is the kingdom of God. That's what Jesus means. The marginalized, the persecuted, the ones crushed by life and still choose to worship God are going to receive God’s favor. While having the above things are good, they are not God. People will see your joy amidst the brokenness and know the Kingdom of God is here, the one built around God, not you.
