In Jesus’ discourse in the sermon on the mount (Matt 5:3-12), He gives a picture of the characteristics that should embody each child of God. We call these “the beatitudes.”

 

Each of the “Beatitudes” begin with the word “blessed.” The basic meaning of “blessed” is happy. However, blessed in a Biblical sense, has a much deeper meaning than what we tend to give the word in our English language. You see, “happiness” comes from the Old English word “hap” which means “chance or luck.” Therefore, happiness happens when happen-stances happen to be happy. In other words, happiness as we know it, only exists when the circumstances surrounding our lives are in our favor. But when we use the word “blessed” as the Bible speaks of it, we are speaking of a spiritual joy and a satisfaction that lasts regardless of conditions, which carries one through pain, sorrow, loss, and grief. The word “blessed” is the source of the word “beatitude,” and it means “a privileged recipient of divine favor and spiritual prosperity.”

 

Jesus starts with “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:3). The thought that genuine joy and satisfaction comes from being poor in anything is absolutely opposed to the conventional wisdom of today’s culture. Unfortunately, the conventional wisdom held by our society at large is often at odds with Biblical wisdom. Being poor in spirit is certainly not something that comes naturally to us, and it is not a quality that is celebrated much. But it is a quality that is absolutely essential in order for us to be right with God and righteous in His eyes. Now, it should not surprise us that this is the first of the Beatitudes, because I believe it is definitely a key to all the ones that follow and a key to embracing everything Jesus was teaching here. So, what was Jesus saying?

 

First of all, Jesus was not speaking of one’s financial poverty, or biblical illiteracy, or even one thinking poorly of themselves. To be poor in spirit means to realize that we are spiritually bankrupt, and that there is absolutely nothing we can do to save ourselves. One of the best biblical illustrations we have of poverty of spirit is found in the story Jesus told about the Pharisee and the Publican from Luke 18:9-14. In the story, Jesus mentioned how the Pharisee was so full of self, that he truly believed he was God’s gift and that it was God who was privileged to have him. In contrast to the self-righteous attitude of the Pharisee, Jesus showed us the publican (tax collector), who stood at a distance and wouldn’t even look to heaven. He stood there beating his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Luke 18:13).

 

The poor in spirit have a broken and contrite heart. They know that they are a sinner who is spiritually bankrupt. They know that they are not righteous and cannot be righteous without God’s grace and power. They know that they are saved not by works, but by God’s grace. Knowing their failure to live up to God’s standards brings them great remorse as they look to God for mercy.

 

Realizing just how spiritually bankrupt we are, we need to learn to look to God for our spiritual needs. We can’t fill up on what is needed just once a week, or once a quarter, we need what God offers every day, and for that matter, every moment of the day. The poor in spirit learn to walk with God expressing continual dependence, as they recognize their ongoing need for God.