Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3, ESV)
Blessed! Blessed are the poor in spirit. It is those who are down. It is those who are out. It is the marginalized. It is the hurting. It is the grieving. It is the weak. It is the defeated. It is the unaccomplished. The have-nots!
Theirs is the kingdom. It’s odd. It seems backward. The kingdom would seem to belong to the conquerors and the victors. But Jesus says his kingdom is not like the kingdoms of this world.
It is when we come to the end of ourselves that we enter the kingdom. The kingdom is discovered through brokenness and humility. It is when we fail and fall. It happens when we realize that we cannot pick ourselves up that we discover the wealth and the authority of the kingdom.
Life is filled with hard knocks. You will get beaten up. You will wrestle with your insufficiency. Eventually, you will meet an obstacle or an enemy that you cannot conquer. Even the most wealthy and powerful men will lose everything they have gained.
Our earthly wealth has a way of blinding us towards our heavenly poverty. But when we take the blinder off, we understand that the things so many people are striving after are worth nothing. It is then that we pursue that which is of infinite worth. CS Lewis says it well:
“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased.” – CS Lewis
Reflection
- What does it mean to you when Jesus says, “blessed are the poor in spirit?”
- What worldly wealth or power blinds you to your heavenly poverty or weakness?
Prayer
Lord, you have given me more than I could ever imagine or perceive. Remove the blinders of earthly wealth and power to see my heavenly poverty. Open my eyes to see the infinite wealth that you have provided. Give me the heart and the desire for that which endures. Amen.
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