Here he is—God

sitting on a hill

men and women looking at him

waiting.

It’s his opening class,

as it were,

his very first public lecture,

the launch of his ministry.

“He began to teach them”

—God begins to teach us

in a human voice,

face to face.

And how does he start?

What does God say, first?

Blessed are the poor in spirit

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

If you are here looking at me

says Jesus

and think I would never pick you,

because of what you know

about yourself:

how unqualified you are

how unfit

how inadequate

for God.

Think again.

What you know

about everything

is barely anything.

You can’t see

the shining kingdom

that fills the hills around you

like chariots of fire,

like a sparkling stream in a blazing desert,

like a world aflame with glory.

You can’t hear its song.

But it’s more real

than what you do see.

And God, the King

wants to share it.

He is looking

for those who think

he’s not looking for them

—who think he

would never go looking

for them.

He is.

In fact, he won’t share his kingdom

with anyone

but them.

And that

is one of the first things

God on the hill

wants us to know.

It’s okay to be who you are.

God’s not looking for heroes.

He is hero enough

for all of us.