MONDAY February 10, 2020
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:2-3
Jesus opened His mouth and taught the disciples. Notice, Jesus’ disciples were to be taught the Word of God. He told them, “Blessed are the poor in spirit….” Blessed means “Oh how happy.” Jesus beautifully set up the Beatitudes so they could fully comprehend what their attitudes were to be as follower of Christ. Jesus, in correcting the problems with the law as taught by the Pharisees, showed His disciples a better way––through the law of love, grace and mercy.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus taught the first characteristic of discipleship––to be poor in spirit. He was not speaking about poverty––not having bread, milk or other groceries. It was a spiritual bankruptcy. His disciples were not to think of themselves more highly than others, but to look rightly at themselves in the eyes of God. Those poor in spirit readily received Jesus’ teachings, and they were submitted to the will of God.
The Prophet Isaiah saw himself in the correct light. When he stood before the presence of God, he had this correct view of himself:
“Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5).
As a disciple of Christ, do you have the right view of yourself––are you poor in spirit? Are you aware that you are to live your life in the presence of God––in the light of His holiness? I believe with all my heart that the Church is not living the principles taught by Jesus in Sermon on the Mount today. Christians have not put Jesus’ words to practice in their daily lives.
The blessed ones who possess the Kingdom are they who have repudiated every external thing and have rooted from their hearts all sense of possessing. These are the "poor in spirit."
~A.W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!