Many groups throughout history have considered themselves "the chosen people." Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others have all thought of themselves as special in the sight of God, and they've all been right. There is no sin in declaring oneself chosen by God; the sin is in declaring that someone else is not. If we think we are chosen because we have been blessed, we must remember that God commands those who are blessed to be a blessing to others, not to lord it over those who have less. In this passage, the prophet speaks to a nation in exile, a people desperately in need of someone to tell them that they matter to God. Those who are suffering need to hear that God is on their side, that he is about to do something new. The past doesn't matter, says the prophet, and neither do present circumstances, because God provides hope for the future. The preceding verses use the imagery of the exodus to remind us that military strength is unimportant to God, for he will succeed in advancing the cause of his chosen ones, those who need him, who call to him for help, and who honor him with their worship.
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"Happy are those who consider the poor," begins this psalm. How different this sentiment is from the habit of modern people to think first of themselves. Politicians of all stripes, when seeking votes, ask people, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" Incumbents want the voters to say yes, while challengers hope that the answer is no. But the question is completely wrong! When we make political choices, we shouldn't ask ourselves whether we're better off than we were. Instead, we should ask, "Are the poor, the sick, the refugee, and the resident alien better off than they were?" And not just in our own country. "Do the marginalized in other countries have enough to eat, access to medical care, safe living environments, and the opportunity to gain an education? If not, which candidate is most likely to promote their welfare?" The psalmist advises us to consider the poor, because they are specially protected by God. If we would be on God's side, we will have the same attitude as he does toward the weakest members of society and of the global community.
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What do we call people who make promises but don't fulfill them, or who say one thing on one occasion and something completely different on another? We might call them liars, two-faced, wishy-washy, opportunists, or maybe just politicians. Of course, politicians aren't the only ones who say one thing and do another; in truth, we're all like that sometimes. We crave the acceptance of those around us, so we say what we think they want to hear. We stay silent when others insult members of another ethnic group, even though we have friends who are members of that group. We say that we have respect for all religions, but we still stereotype people other faiths. Paul calls on followers of Christ to be men and women of integrity, to say "Yes" and mean it. God is consistent in his promises, and if his Spirit is truly in our hearts, we, too, will be people who say what we mean, who stand up for what we believe in, whose lives are consistent with our words. Those who know us will be certain that when we say something, they can take it to the bank. We will be known as people of integrity.
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If you're facing a tough challenge and are tempted to give up, take a close look at this story. Confronted with an obstacle to their goal of bringing their friend to Jesus for healing, the four litter-carriers came up with an ingenious solution: "If we can't get in the door, or even through a window, we'll remove part of the roof and lower him down." The faith of these four people has often been noted, and certainly they had faith, but faith alone would have left them outside the house straining to catch a glimpse of the teacher. In addition to their faith, they also possessed perseverance. They kept trying to get through the crowd, and they weren't willing to take no for an answer. Finally, they had ingenuity. When traditional strategies failed, they came up with a solution to the problem facing them. Perhaps most importantly of all, they employed their faith, perseverance, and ingenuity for the benefit of someone other than themselves. If Christians are to make a positive difference in the world, we must supplement our faith with endurance, and especially with intelligence. God will bless others, and maybe even us, if we do.
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