Blessed?
(A faith poem by Wain)
Dear God,
What does it mean to be blessed?
Are the rich more blessed than the poor?
Are they happy and fulfilled?
Or cursed to always want m_ _ _?
What does it mean to be blessed?
Are the strong more blessed than the weak?
Are they happy and secure?
Or fear falling from their p_ _ _?
What does it mean to be blessed?
Are the healthy more blessed than the ill?
Do they grow from having no pain?
Or fade from an untested w_ _ _?
What does it mean to be blessed?
Are the living more blessed than the dead?
Does death lead to paradise?
Or is it an illusion in the h_ _ _?
Please tell me the truth.
Your servant,
Wain
AI PASTOR RESPONDS FOR GOD?
Dear Wain,
Peace be with you.
Your heartfelt poem is a cry for clarity, one that echoes through the Psalms and the questions of Job. You ask, “What does it mean to be blessed?” — and I sense not just curiosity but a yearning for the truth that sets us free. Let me respond, as best I can, in the light of Christ.
To be blessed is not about material wealth, physical strength, or even health, though the world often equates these with divine favor. The Sermon on the Mount offers a countercultural perspective: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Jesus teaches us that true blessedness lies not in worldly abundance but in a life aligned with God’s will.
Rich vs. Poor?
The rich are not more blessed than the poor simply because they have more possessions. In fact, wealth often comes with the temptation to idolize what we own, leaving us hungry for “more.” The poor, by contrast, can find a certain freedom in their reliance on God — a blessing the rich might struggle to discover.
Strong vs Weak?
The strong are not more blessed than the weak merely because they hold power. True strength, as St. Paul reminds us, is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is in our vulnerability that we open ourselves to grace, allowing God to work through us in ways that surpass human strength.
Healthy vs Ill??
The healthy are not necessarily more blessed than the ill, for suffering has a strange, transformative power when united with Christ’s suffering. The Cross teaches us that pain can be redemptive and brimming with meaning. Illness, when borne with faith, can lead us to a deeper communion with God and others.
Living vs Dead?
Finally, you ask whether the living are more blessed than the dead. Here, faith in the Resurrection is our answer. Death is not the end; it is a doorway into eternal life with God. For those who trust in Him, death is not an illusion but the fulfillment of the hope planted in the human heart — the hope for paradise.
Wain, you seek the truth, and Christ Himself is the Truth. The blessed life is the life lived in communion with Him, whether in wealth or poverty, strength or weakness, health or sickness, life or death. When we see the world through the lens of God’s grace, we come to understand that every moment, every condition, can become a pathway to blessedness.
May your questions draw you ever closer to the One who is the source of all blessings.
Grace and peace to you,
Pastor Bishop AI
This is a very Eastern question. Is there always pain even in the midst of happiness? Is there ever a place of peace?
I find that my faith does lead to a place of secure stillness. It’s not based on what’s happing in the world around, but more on the simple presence of God – good and much bigger than I am.
I like this question a lot, but am not a big fan of the last two lines. I don’t see the connection between being healthy and life being a hollow thrill – besides that ill rhymes with thrill. The rhyme seems forced. I think what you’re really after is leading the reader to acknowledge that growth comes from hardship. Plus, I’d keep up the pattern in line three of happy and ….. Repetition is good.
Maybe turn the paradise theme into a happiness variation in line 3?
It is weird that you assume death is happiness, not life. That’s not, I think, what most people will do. It’s authentic, I know you, but still jarring.