“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.” - Jesus
Whether you realize it or not, you are a citizen of one of two kingdoms. Each kingdom, has a set of values, power, and products. Paul would say in Colossians 1:13 that, “He has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
You see, the kingdom of darkness has a set of values that it holds in high esteem. It holds power, comfort, success, and acclaim as values to esteem and treasure (Luke 6:24-26). The power that drives these sets of values is the self will of fallen humanity that seeks to be the center of attention. Over and above is Jesus’ kingdom (Luke 6:20-23). As Jesus comes on the scene, He ushers in what many have called, “The Great Reversal.” He proclaims what his kingdom holds in high esteem: Weakness, sacrifice, grief, and exclusion. As Jesus comes off the mountain healing, and teaching, and performing miracles; it is the writing on the wall that declares an end to the self-centered life that the old kingdom exalts, and instead ushers in new way of living in humility by the power of God that produces not an eternally destroyed life, but a eternally joyful existence in communion with God. Someone said it this way, “In the life of God’s people, it will be seen first of all a remarkable reversal of values. The people of God will prize what the world calls pitiable, and suspect what the world thinks desirable.”
So often we find ourselves living for the values of the old kingdom. So what are we to do? We humbly repent, and rely upon the One who the greatest reversal fell upon. Jesus. He reversed his glory, and became our shame. He reversed His life, and received our death. He gave us his righteousness, and took upon Himself our reproach. See Jesus. See how he IS the great reversal for you. If we do that, it will be by His power that we begin to hold in high esteem the values of the kingdom we belong to by His grace.
