Spiritual Poverty – Matthew 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

When I began learning these verses around the age of 7-up, I had asked my Papaw to tell me how can somebody be called blessed when they are poor? They don’t have anything.  I recall exactly what he said, “…get your Grandma’s dictionary and look up the word poor, study it until you understand what it means.” I believe that man is the root of me being the inquisitive person I am today.

So today I shall take a spiritual look at its meaning and its origin.

poor- : lacking material possessions: of, relating to, or characterized by poverty: less than adequate : meager: small in worth: exciting pity <you poor thing>: inferior in quality or value: humble, unpretentious

Greek

* ptōchos – 1) reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms 2) destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour a) lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal riches b) helpless, powerless to accomplish an end c) poor, needy 3) lacking in anything a) as respects their spirit 

and

* penēs – one who is so poor he earns his bread by daily labour

I don’t recall the old dictionary having this many descriptions of the word. Oh well! Now I “understand what it means.” (TYHS)

Ah ha! There it is. Do you see it? How do I rephrase this? The poor in spirit are the ones who rely on God as the SOLE Source. They live in a state of realization called NOTHING…Nothing that they do, have or need is of man. They present their needs to and receive their alms from God, not man. For Our God, the Lord God is the ONLY ONE that gives freely to the poor in spirit.

Therefore, Jesus had to be speaking of spiritual matters, for through Him, God spoke. Ahem, God is Spirit. I have finally realized that this verse does not refer to worldly monetary or positional matters. It inherently refers to spiritual matters. (TYHS) Those who are experiencing Spiritual Poverty are in a position to become heirs to the kingdom of heaven.

Those who are poor in spirit do not place a value on material/earthly things. The poor in spirit know “…from whence cometh” their help. “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)  These are the words of King David, and so should be the words of those who are the “poor in spirit” per Jesus.

When you can trash the worldly labels of poverty; classify yourself as being poor in spirit, you too will be able to believe as King David did and shout toward the hills from whatever valley you are living in and sing:

“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (Psalm 121:3-8)

My Conclusion (TYHS)

The kingdom of heaven is your inheritance when you no longer depend on worldly riches. Bank on and put your stock(spirit) into a humble account.

The kingdowm of heaven is your inheritance when you can name it and claim it i.e., by the actions of your rented heart. For “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

The kindgdom of heaven is your inheritance when you are looked upon by God as not being tied to worldly labels as a person of lower, middle, or higher income.

What will be your “daily labour”, henceforth?

COST   – “The first thing we need to realize is that…” – Walter Bright