Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

The Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5, can be described as a guide that explains the qualities needed to be a disciple of God. At one point in your life or another, it is likely that you have heard these eight principles, however, have you ever stopped to ask yourself what they really mean and if you are applying them in your walk with the lord? Matthew 5:3 says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If you’re like me, your first impression of this verse may be a bit uncertain.

Our minds are wired to connect the word “poor” to its negative connotation which is “to lack or be deprived of something necessary to live (usually money).” However, the context surrounding this term shows us how desperately we should desire Jesus, and not ourselves. To be poor in spirit is to be empty of oneself, to think of yourself as insignificant. When we are ‘poor’ in spirit, we are not necessarily lacking spirit completely, but admit we are in need of more. A synonym for poor in this verse is humble, so the message of the verse is to be humble in spirit. This means to be free of any pride or over-confidence in oneself. God blesses those who are humble in spirit through the inheritance of heaven and earth. Inheriting the Earth in this verse refers to how the Israelites inherited and claimed the promised land. We inherit heaven by knowing that we do not belong on this earth, that we are merely visiting, and one day we will be led to our promised land, heaven.

We can exhibit this beatitude in everyday life by being more aware of others and less focused on ourselves. Learning how to be selfless leads to becoming humbled before God. At times I find it difficult to give the glory to God in instances where I get caught up in believing that I am the one worth all the praise and recognition. This usually happens when I begin a project and throughout the duration of it I am far from God, resulting in undeserved accolade. However, by pursuing after God I am aware of how dearly I need him to be successful. If you convince yourself that you are in ample supply of spirit, that you are ‘rich’ in spirit, then you lose the motivation to further your faith. It has an almost reverse effect in our lives, because we have a false outlook on our faith. We make it out to be more than it truly is, and we become proud. Remaining poor in spirit doesn’t mean to go backwards in progress, but rather to be motivated to seek Jesus, desire Him more, and be humble enough to continue seeking Him.