Good News Preached to the Poor?

Luke 7:22 So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

I read this as part of the Bible Study we are doing. The study is on Miracles and their purpose. In this case, the miracles are for pointing to Jesus as God's chosen who we should listen to and respect.

When I read this the last phrase stuck out. Remember those exercises in grade school where we were supposed to pick the object or thing that didn't fit with the rest of the list? Well, this last phrase struck me as something that didn't fit with the rest. The blind seeing, the lame walking, healings, deaf hearing, and the dead living are without a doubt miracles. But what about good news being preached to the poor? How does that fit with the rest? My only original guess is that it is one of the prophesy clues to recognize the Messiah.

I'm curious why this would be in the list. Preaching the good news to the poor.....Is this the poor, as in cash? This discussion with John's followers was right after a widow's son was raised. Is she an example of the poor? Or is this poor in spirit, in knowing God? If that's the case, we all can be considered poor at one time or another.

Then I had another thought. I wonder if the Poor, the ones will little to no money, were left alone spiritually, if the religious leaders of the day neglected those who were poor, who couldn't pay them, or who couldn't provide them with stature and political power. If Jesus were preaching to the poor, perhaps this was a really big deal. Like the President of the United States visiting my small home town. That just wouldn't happen... except under extreme, extraordinary circumstances.... that visit might be called a miracle.

That's kind of sad to think that the people who were poor were not preached to, not uplifted and guided by the religious leaders of the day. But I'm not sure it is much different today. Do we invite the poor and shabby to church on Sunday? Do we ask the one who can't fill the collection plate to come when at the same time we DO ask the new doctor or attorney to come?

Upon reflection, I think this phrase belongs with the rest, all miracles of the day. I hope that we can do some of the same type of miracle - preach the good news to the poor....not just the spiritually poor, but those who are poor in material possessions, who can do little or nothing "for" us. Amen.

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