Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3
Nobody wants beggars around.
Every government on the planet wants to get rid of them. The Kingdom of God is the only kingdom that welcomes beggars. As a matter of fact, you can’t get in unless you come empty.
To be poor in spirit does not mean to be economically deprived or shy or lacking spiritual maturity. To be poor in spirit means to be desperately aware of your own spiritual bankruptcy and your need for God’s grace.
It includes daily dependence on God like the Israelites depended on manna from heaven.
It recognizes that we have nothing to offer God; nothing to bargain with, and that we are helpless to deal with the consequences of our past without Him (like the penitent thief on the cross).
To be poor in spirit means that we realize, like Paul, that we can glory in our weaknesses because when we are helpless and hurting that’s when His grace is most abundant.
Jesus is our model because He humbled Himself (Philippians 2:5-8), became poor so that we might be rich (2 Corinthians 8:9) and now strengthens us to find contentment even in the hard places of life (Philippians 4:13).
Because of Him I am now part of the Kingdom though I’m broke.
Glad to be a beggar,
K. Edward Copeland
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