The Poor in Spirit

The first Beatitude is one that can surprise us. We might think instead it is the strong in spirit whom Jesus would favor. But the strong in spirit do not need Jesus. Rather, it's the humble whom he favors and will lift up; it's the needy whom he is willing to fill.

Poor in spirit does not mean lacking in spiritual qualities. It's more to do with a mindset, a knowing and acknowledging one's paltry standing before God. God is holy. God is pure. God is all powerful and a whole list of other things that we altogether lack. Thinking we are strong before God only gets in the way. Acknowledging our poverty in spirit is our first step to gaining his blessing.

Not only will the poor in spirit inherit the kingdom of God, but only the poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of God.

There are examples: the young Moses, raised in Pharaoh's household, thought himself qualified to defend his people. He killed an Egyptian and then had to flee. It was 40 years before God called him back into service. By then Moses was poor in spirit, protesting "Who am I?" Then God could use him.

Job is another example. For nearly the whole book he defended his righteousness. But when God appeared, he saw who he really was and repented in dust and ashes. Shortly after, he was healed.

In Revelation, the church at Laodicea considered itself rich and in need of nothing. But Jesus rejects them. On the other hand, the church at Smyrna was poor, yet in God's sight, they were counted as rich.

When any man or woman is grand in his own sight, they are the one God rejects; it's the poor in spirit that God lifts up.

It's easy to do, if we just will. We'll be blessed.