Poor in Spirit

“Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven,” (Matthew 5:1-3). 

What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? Who are those who are poor in spirit, and why are they blessed?

Well first, to be blessed means to be in a state of wellbeing in a relationship with God. The poor in spirit are the ones who finally recognizes that they need God. 

In the gospel account of Luke, there is a very interesting encounter of a Pharisee with a tax collector. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get,’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted,” (Luke 18:10-14). 

The tax collector was poor in spirit. He understood the fact that he was a sinner and that there was nothing he could do on his own, he needed God. However, the Pharisee saw himself as much higher than the tax collectors, much higher than all others and as a result did not go home justified. 

The poor in spirit are the ones who understand their position apart from God. The day you recognize that you need God and you put your faith in Him you will be blessed with the kingdom of Heaven. 

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit!