Tight as a Vise

 

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:1-10 ESV).

 

There are times in my woodworking when I need an extra pair of hands. Since it is not always convenient or possible to call someone for help, I have come to rely heavily on my bench vice. It makes it so much easier to position pieces for sanding or carving smaller pieces that can’t be handled easily with clamps. The first “Beatitude” that Jesus gives us in our reading today has a similar image in it. He uses the phrase “poor in spirit.”

 

It is the picture of our spiritual “heart” clearly clenched in a bind. It’s as if he’s saying, “Of course your heart wants to clench up. It feels inadequate; it is wounded and weary; it feels threatened, like it’s under attack. It wants to protect itself.” But he knows that a clenched heart might also shut out the love of God. So, Jesus invites us to open our hearts, just as they are, wounded and weary. It’s as if he is saying, “Don’t pretend; be real; be vulnerable. You are poor in spirit, but you want to hide that from people around you, so you clench your heart. Let it go! Being poor in spirit is not something to hide; it’s a way to be blessed!”

 

Years ago, a young person told me that on their first day of college, they met their roommate and quickly discovered that this person was tough, hard to get to know, and actually a bit scary. They tiptoed around for a couple of weeks. Then one day they came back from class and found their roommate weeping. After a talking things through, they found a new way to handle dorm life together. That’s an example of a “dying to live” blessing that can come from being open to one another. I’m reminded of the old Gospel song “Just a Little Telk with Jesus.” Maybe you need to let Him soften your heart and talk thing out today.