… beggars would ride.

My grandmother used to look at me rather sternly and repeat that phrase when I was wishing for things a little too often. I know some children heard, “Stop wishing your life away.” I didn’t hear that one til I grew up. It took me a long time to figure my grandmother out.

When I was young we were expected to figure those things out on our own. When I hand obscure bits of wisdom to my children they do not hesitate to ask for clarification. They do not care to think for themselves. Lazy. 😉

I was thinking about that saying this morning for a while. I’ve always stopped on that one and pondered. Thought about being a beggar and wishing for a horse. If I were a beggar what sort of horse would I wish for. Would I stop with some spavined sway-backed old nag? Or (since it’s just wishing) would I wish for an Arab, graceful and beautiful?

Once I finally figured that out, I never knew whether to be jealous of the “beggars” or not. After all, beggars might one day be able to magically bring horses into being. I wanted a horse more than anything in those days, so if that’s what it took, I thought that being a beggar might not be so bad. I might be able to wish myself into having an Arab stallion in the process … that would be an adequate payback, or so I thought in my young mind. I often also had visions of beggars riding magnificent horses and knew what the result of that would be. They would be the butt of many jokes and derisive humor. Majestic fine horses are meant for majestic fine people … not dirty, dumpy people in filthy rags who don’t know how to ride them.

There was much “Kingdom” wisdom in my grandmother’s pithy saying. I find myself reflecting on it now. In essence we are all “beggars” here in this world. Jesus put it like this … “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” We are all lacking the Spirit and needy when it comes to the vision and love that God wants for us. We are all left with that sense that there is a certain something missing. Something that would keep the peace, keep the love, regenerate grace and mercy. We are all beggars … what sort of horse are you wishing for?