Luke 6: 24-26  Luke summarized Jesus' teaching into 4 blessings and 4 "woes".  

"Woe to you who are rich... Woe to you who are well fed...  Woe to you who laugh.. Woe to you when all men speak well of you."  Woe - alas.. is an exclamation of grief according to the Bible lexicon.   A sadness for those who have not given up anything to follow Jesus and have His kingdom. 

The "rich" are those who have abundant resources..  Jesus says that these have received their "comfort in full".  They don't recognize their need.. their poverty.. their dependence on the Father.  James wrote, "... let the rich man glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind, and withers the grass; and its flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away." James 1: 10-11.  Do we find our consolation in our bank accounts or in the One who we call out to when in need of help?  Do we recognize the need that others have... a need that we can meet with a willingness to share what God has provided? Or do we hold on to the things we have more than we hold on to Jesus?

Are we "full"?  Jesus says that we will then "be hungry".   To be full.. satiated, filled up, maybe even to the point of gluttony?  What is it that makes Jesus grieve over our satisfaction?  Matthew wrote, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied," (5:6)   Have we filled up on the physical desires so much that we do not desire the spiritual food?  Jesus found satisfaction in doing the will of the Father, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work." John 4:34.  May we be full of the Spirit.. may we hunger for righteousness.. may we find satisfaction in doing the will of the Father. 

"Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep."  Again this points to our satisfaction in the things of the world and our lack of surrender.. laying down everything.. for the Lord Jesus who alone can give us true joy. 

The final woe that Luke shares is "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets."   Jesus says we are blessed to be hated, ostracized, and insulted by others for His name's sake.. just like the prophets were.  Who do we want to be identified with.. the true prophets of God.. or the false prophets who come with lies and deceit?   In our humanity we don't like to be ridiculed, left out, or treated badly.  But, in Christ we have something greater than human approval.. we have a "reward... in heaven"  Something greater.. something worth the suffering, something that will give us a greater joy than any accolades from those in this world.  It will be worth it all!

Father,  Jesus told us that if we hear His words and act on them we will not be shaken.  May we have ears to hear and act upon these truths.  Enable us by Your Holy Spirit to recognize our poverty and not be full of material things that will rust and rot away.. those things that will never satisfy our true needs.  Help us to hunger for You, to hold on to Your promises which give us a hope and a future worth waiting for.  Help us to not worry or fret for our physical needs, knowing that we have a heavenly Father that provides all that we truly need. We give You thanks for all You have provided and we put our trust in You for every day that You have planned for us.. in this life and in the eternal glory that You have promised! Keep us on the solid Rock, Jesus Christ our Lord, for we come in His Mighty name. Amen