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Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit, for Theirs Is the Kingdom of Heaven
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Somebody might think poor in spirit could mean those who are discouraged and sorrowful. Others might think it means those who are poor because of their lack of finances. Still, the poor in spirit is about the spiritual condition of your heart. It is those who know they need God's grace, forgiveness, and guidance. And without Him, no matter who you are, you are nothing without the Lord. That acknowledgment should lead to a sincere recognition of your desperate need for a Savior, regardless of social status. Yet, until you can acknowledge this, you cannot receive the gift of salvation because of your lack of faith in the Savior.
In Luke 18:10-14 (AMP), we read a story about the Pharisee who said he was not like other men. Still, being poor in spirit is acknowledging our own emptiness without the Savior who can deliver and set us free. It is those the religious leaders discarded, but they showed us that if we do not take on the attitude of the poor, we will never realize how poor we are. Being poor in spirit is accepting our entire dependence on God because we can do nothing to save ourselves.
However, we are spiritually bankrupt until we come to terms with our spiritual poverty. Only when we accept that we cannot make it without the Lord can we surrender and give Him complete control. Jesus becomes more significant as we become less significant and abide in His ways, not our own.
I pray the song Still Waters by Leanna Crawford stirs your heart and brings you into the presence of God.
TIME FOR REFLECTION: After reflecting on the essence of those who are poor in spirit, do you see yourself more like the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-14? Or do you identify with those who are poor in spirit? Let's talk about it in the comments below. Did this message resonate with you? Please hit that heart and share this devotional.
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