Note about the Beatitudes: Before we begin, we need to understand what Jesus is doing here. Sometimes these passages are read as a new set of commandments or as Christian secret to happiness. However, these statements aren’t prescribing what we must do in order to be blessed (or even saved) by God, they are describing how God blesses us. In other words, this isn’t, “If I ‘x’, then God will ‘y’.” It’s a list of several ways God blesses His people and in situations which may run contrary to how our culture thinks of being blessed.

With this in mind…

Is it good to be poor?

Many people over the centuries since Jesus said these words have taken this to mean that it is wrong to be rich or good to be poor. Some have sworn off all worldly possessions in light of this passage. However, this understanding of what Jesus said is missing two key words, “in spirit”. Jesus isn’t starting his sermon on the mount with law (commands), He’s starting with Gospel!

So, what does it really mean to be “poor in spirit”?

Sometimes we think we must become the greatest Christian ever. The more faithful I am and the less I sin, the more God will love me, the more He will bless me. That is certainly how the world seems to work, but God is different than the world. Here he is saying the poor in the spirit are blessed, not the spiritually rich.

Most of us know that we are, at least to some extent, poor in spirit.

• We see examples of “great” Christian servants or Christian evangelists and don’t think we live up to that standard
• We have a conscience that lets us know right from wrong…and we’ve done wrong
•  The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin.

While we may often look to God’s Law to guide us, more often it serves the role of showing us our sin…showing us just how poor in spirit we really are. That we have nothing to offer God.

This can seem bad at first.

None of us likes to look completely honestly at our sin. It’s scary to see how sinful we really are. However, seeing how sinful we truly are also shows us our need for a savior.

So, who are the poor in spirit?

Jesus isn’t telling us what to do here, as though we need to act poor in spirit or think we are poor in spirit. Yes, it’s good to realize it, but Jesus is describing an objective state, people who ARE poor in spirit, whether they realize it or not. Romans tells us that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” In other words, we’re all poor in spirit. You are. I am. Every human being is. That’s just the reality of it. Even the greatest missionary or Christian servant is poor in spirit, or as Martin Luther said,

“We are all beggars, this is true.”

Thankfully, God doesn’t just show us our sin and leave us hopelessly in despair. He gives us the good news of the Gospel. He sent His Son to die for us, to be that savior we so desperately need. This is the Kingdom of God that Jesus was sent to establish and this is the same Kingdom of God which we have through Jesus Christ.

As I said at the beginning of today’s devotion, Jesus is starting with Gospel.

Yes, we are poor in spirit, we are sinners, but Jesus died for sinners! That’s the good news. The Kingdom of God is here for the poor in spirit. The kingdom that came in Jesus Christ. What a wonderful blessing God has given us!

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

We confess that we have sinned against You and our fellow man. We are poor in spirit. Thank You for sending Your Son to die for us. Establish Your Kingdom of the Gospel in our hearts.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.