Blessed are the ... (II) Poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of God

You might think that it is he who is spiritually rich, the one who has spent so much time with Jesus that all of His treasures of wisdom and knowledge have rubbed rubbed off on him, who the Lord would call blessed. This is likely true, but what Jesus is saying here, is that the one who is spiritually poor is blessed. It sounds like nonsense, but as Paul would say, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, but not the wisdom of the age (1 Corinthians 2:6 ,7). Jesus speaks in mystery and in parables so that those who are willing to seek to ask, to knock etc., will find, receive, and have it opened for them (Matthew 7:7,8). And all of this is exactly what the religious leaders of the time were not willing to do. It's all part of the upside down Kingdom, and he who says “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” it is this one who is truly poor not knowing that he is in fact “wretched and miserable and poor and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17).

You see when you know that without Him you are indeed all of these things, then you can put into practice the next verse in Revelation 3, and you can buy “gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (verse 18). It is when you know that without Him you are spiritually poor, and can do nothing without Him, it is then when you call out to Him and receive His salvation. As Proverbs puts it “There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches” (Proverbs 13:7).

It is a similar thing to Paul saying when I am weak, then I am strong. Again is sounds like nonsense, but in fact when we come to the end of ourselves and cry out to Him for help, then He comes and does what only He can do, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10. 9). When we acknowledge our poverty without Him, we become grateful and teachable and humble, and willing to meditate on His Word day and night, and willing to obey. And then I will “have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on Your statutes. And I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts (Psalm 119:99). So when I am poor is spirit, then I am actually rich, because the Kingdom is mine!

Father, help me neither to think more highly of myself, nor less of myself that You would have me think. Thank You that You call me Your son and that in me You are well pleased. Help me to understand my spiritual poverty without You and to stay close in Jesus Name Amen