For the next several weeks, we’ll be looking at The Beatitudes. Here we find Jesus teaching the principles of the kingdom, His Kingdom. These are principles to which help to guide our daily lives.
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3, NLT)
The poore are the people who realize they are spiritually bankrupt – they have nothing apart from God’s grace.
In his book, The Good Life, Dr. Derwin L. Gray explains it this way:
“Being poor in spirit means to see your spiritual bankruptcy so that you can make room for the treasures of Christ.” (from page 28)
It is those who feel their spiritual need every single day; those who only have utter confidence in the provision of and from God. Recognizing our need and our utter inability to provide or change our circumstances, we humbly come before Him and in our state of humility, we find Him willing and waiting to dwell with us.
“The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One says this: I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.” (Isaiah 57:15, NLT)
Recognizing ourselves as poor and in need, then moves our hearts to see how Jesus responded to those in need – He often fed them, healed them, forgave them, sat down and visited with them.
Jesus Himself became poor for us:
“You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9, NLT)
Jesus became the model for us. By His self-sacrifice, giving up the riches of heaven to experience being poor on earth, He was able to make us rich with His blessings here on earth.
As we recognize ourselves as poor,
seeing what we have received from Him,
we are better able to love the poor and care for the vulnerable.
We are living in a time when everyone wants to throw off every restraint. Yet we are so in need of “the bit, bridle, and reins God gives through his Holy Spirit.” Wisdom from Pam Ecrement is in her post “We Need a Bit and Bridle“.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
**This is an edited post which first appeared HERE.
Photo by Anita Austvika on Unsplash
This is a great explanation of “poor in spirit.” We need to realize our neediness. Only then will we turn to the only One who can meet our needs.
So true, Barbara.
Who would we be, where would we be without Jesus’ great lovingkindness toward us. I shudder to think …
Linda, like you, I cannot even imagine. I am moved to tears when I sit and think of all the Lord has done in my life.
Had to edit my comment because your comment brought back to mind this song which I now have playing 🙂
https://youtu.be/mbkYijXb5HQ?si=i8DiJKGhhIJuFdal
Joanne, I have been meditating on what it means to be “poor in spirit”, and I like what you share here. Recognizing my tendency towards self-reliance has helped me see more clearly how it hinders intimacy with God. Longing to “see” God more in my life, He led me to this beatitude, so He could gently lead me away from self-reliance to complete reliance on Him. The promise attached to this beatitude is precious.
I look forward to our journey through the Beatitudes, Joanne.
Your words remind me that this teaching from Jesus – to be poor in spirit – encourages me to accept my own deep need for Him and to grow in that understanding and dependence every day.