Vertigo

Luke 6:12-26

God looks down and we look up! But what if there was a way we could flip our perspective to see things God’s way? Our initial reaction might be spiritual vertigo.

This upside-down view of things would be dizzying!

This must be how things seemed to Jesus’ first students. Because when we hear what the Teacher told them, it is disorienting to us too at first!

Do these things look right? Sound right? From our perspective!

Looking at his disciples, he said…But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

From an earthly point of view to be rich, comfortable, well fed, jovial, and well thought of are the most desirable circumstances. But Jesus sees with heavenly focus.

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.
Blessed are you when men hate you… because of the Son of Man.

Jesus’ teaching is from another world, but it is God’s world. And serious students eventually come to appreciate this wisdom from above. But living it puts students in opposition to the prevailing values of the world.

Such a way of life isn’t popular or easy! Students of Jesus are seen as living upside-down kind of lives. And they are!

But according to the Teacher, it is heaven’s 20/20 vision - Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.