Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Matthew 5:3-4

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted.”

Our sinful nature naturally causes us to be proud. We want to feel that we are not cripples. We wish to find joy and fulfillment of life through self-reliance, self-confidence, self-determination, and self-esteem. We don’t want to be dependent on another being for anything. We want to be self-reliant.

But Christ, in His Beatitudes, said,

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

What does this ‘poor in spirit’ mean?

Time and again in scripture even the great men of the Bible felt guilty, unworthy or useless. Abraham, when speaking to God about Sodom and Gomorrah, said to Him, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord” (Genesis 18:27). Jacob said to God, “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant” (Genesis 32:10). Moses, at the burning bush, questioned God’s decision to make him leader of the Israelites, as he felt he was not worthy for the task (Exodus 3:11; 4:10).

When they felt unworthy or useless God did not reply and tell them that they are somebody and they are eloquent. Rather God told them to look to Him and trust Him. Read God’s reply to Moses in Exodus 4:10-12.

So the answer to low self-esteem is not high self-esteem, but rather the grace of God and trust in Him. We are worms. And sometimes we feel like worms. But when we do, we should repeat the words of Isaiah 41:14: “’Fear not, you worm Jacob … I will help you,’ says the Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”

There are more examples of believers in Scripture who were poor in spirit. David confesses, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). David’s son Solomon, in his speech requesting more wisdom, professed: “Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in” (1 Kings 3:7).

Also in the New Testament. Paul countless times declared his helpless state. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18). See also 1 Corinthians 3:6-7; 2 Corinthians 4:7 and 1 Timothy 1:15-16.

So what does this ‘poor in spirit’ mean?

It is a sense of helplessness, powerlessness, moral uncleanness and unworthiness before God. It is a sense that all joy and usefulness comes from God out of grace. That is being poor in spirit.

Notice I said sense. Everyone is powerless, bankrupt, helpless and unworthy before God. But not everyone feels it. Not everyone believes it. Not everyone mourns over their being poor in spirit.

That’s why I took these beatitudes together. Because blessed are the poor in spirit who mourn. Blessed are those who feel their inadequacies and guilt. Blessed are those who feel their helplessness and unworthiness. Blessed are those who mourn over that. For they shall be comforted.

Fear not, you worm! For yours is the kingdom of God!

See the full series on The Beatitudes here.