Truth Emphasized
Welcome back. Today we read Luke 6–7, and we begin with a question: Are you rich?
Matthew records Jesus’ teaching on a mountain, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). Luke, however, places Jesus on a level place—a plain (Luke 6:17)—and says, “Blessed are you who are poor” (Luke 6:20). Scholars debate whether these are two versions of the same sermon or separate events. Luke’s account emphasizes economic and social poverty, while Matthew focuses on spiritual humility.(1)(2)(3)
As a devotional writer, I often feel pressure to say something new. But Jesus shows us that truth worth repeating is truth worth obeying. The Gospels echo many teachings because they are foundational. Repetition is not redundancy—it’s divine emphasis.
The Blessing of Poverty
Luke’s version doesn’t spiritualize poverty—it names it. I grew up poor. For a short time, my family lived in their car on the side of the road in California. Daily, the kids gathered soda bottles for deposit refunds to buy bread. We built fires and shared the fire with others, who shared their food with us. We didn’t beg—we worked.
That experience shaped me. It taught me that poverty builds character, while wealth can build idolatry. Jesus was born to a poor carpenter and a young fiancée (Luke 2:4–7). He lived without luxury, showing us that riches distract, but poverty refines.
Stories like Ben Carson’s inspire me. Raised in poverty, he overcame rage and despair through his mother’s faith and his own surrender to God. He became a world-renowned neurosurgeon, not because of privilege, but because of purpose and prayer. (4)(5)
Generosity Without Expectation
Jesus teaches: “Give to everyone who asks you… If someone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back” (Luke 6:30). That’s hard. We feel used when people don’t reciprocate. But Jesus reframes it: to be used is to be useful.
Years ago, a contractor took a sizable deposit from me and disappeared. My first reaction was to pursue justice. But God calmed my heart. I realized: those funds were never mine—they were God’s provision. If they met a need, then I had served a purpose.
Obedience Is the Foundation
Jesus asks, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). He warns that those who hear His words but don’t act on them are like builders without a foundation (Luke 6:49). Faith without obedience crumbles under pressure.
If we claim Christ, we must build on Him. Not for comfort, not on approval, not on reciprocity. On Him alone.
Tomorrow, we will read Luke 8-9.
Footnotes
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Jason Elder, “The Sermon on the Mount vs. The Sermon on the Plain,” Pastor Jason Elder, February 12, 2023, https://www.pastorjasonelder.com/the-gospels/the-sermon-on-the-mount-vs-the-sermon-on-the-plain-a-comparison.
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Logos Bible Software, “Sermon on the Plain: What It Is & How It Differs,” August 30, 2023, https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-the-sermon-on-the-plain/.
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“What Does Luke 6:20 Really Mean?” God’s Blessing, https://godsbless.ing/commentary/luke/luke_6_20/.
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Josh Mann, “‘It Wasn’t Me, It Was God’: Dr. Ben Carson Reflects on Christian Faith,” The Lion, May 21, 2025, https://readlion.com/it-wasnt-me-it-was-god-dr-ben-carson-reflects-on-christian-faith-impossible-brain-surgeries-parenting-and-politics-at-herzog-foundation-event/.
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Carson Scholars Fund, “Dr. Carson,” https://carsonscholars.org/about-csf/dr-carson/.
