The Beatitudes
10 Truths
Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).
Matthew's Beatitude 1
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Luke's Beatitude 1
Luke 6:20
Blessed are the poor because God's kingdom belongs to them.
Matthew highlights the poor in spirit while Luke highlights the poor. Matthew's Beatitudes are spiritual in nature while Luke’s Beatitudes focus on the concrete. Both strike a chord with us.
What does it mean to be poor in spirit?
Poor in spirit is realizing our spiritual bankruptcy and provides us with reliance upon God alone. We come to Him in humility, realizing that our own resources and abilities are not enough. They cannot save us. They cannot provide a place in heaven.
When Matthew uses “poor in spirit,” he is leaning on Isaiah’s idea of the poor being physically and then having to rely on God, which is being poor in spirit (Isaiah 66:2).
We are used to getting our own way, doing things with our own abilities, and getting rewarded for what we bring to the table. But if we are going to connect with God and enjoy His blessings, it must be at the expense of our pride. It is not about us. It is about Jesus.
Being poor in spirit challenges us to let go of our own ways and turn to God in desperation. We must reach the end of our rope, give up on our old ways, and give everything to God. Poor in spirit means total surrender.
It means no Plan B. It is not that we get to this place of dependency because it is our last resort. Poor in spirit is the choice to surrender everything and rely on God for everything.
The reward for being poor in spirit is to be in the kingdom of heaven. Luke uses “Kingdom of God” but they are the same thing. The kingdom of God is the place where God rules on earth, that is in the hearts of people fully committed to Him.
You know you are part of God’s kingdom when you approach Him with humility and desperation. You are part of His kingdom now, but you will be part of it in eternity as well.
What about the poor (Luke 6:20)?
Luke’s Beatitudes do not have the spiritual aspect Matthew’s do. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor,” He is referring to people who are destitute, perhaps homeless, and do not have money or advantages in this life.
Some people are poor because they don’t want to work or may be involved with drugs. It’s hard for us to feel compassion for these types of people because they do not have to be poor. We may suspect they are poor for these reasons.
But Jesus did not treat the poor that way. Some people are poor because of what life has handed them. They did not choose to be poor. They do not want to be poor. They want to contribute to society. They want to provide for their family.
Jesus said we would always have the poor with us (Matthew 14:7; 26:11; John 12:8). It is a problem that persists in every type of government and economic system. We need to reframe how we think of and deal with the poor around us.
Life Change
- Are you still trusting in your own resources and abilities, even in the back of your mind?
- Have you made the choice to completely surrender your life, abilities, and resources to the Lord?
- What about when you get into situations that may harm you or need what you feel is in immediate action? Do you still trust God then?
- What is your God reaction to a person you see on the streets who asks you for money?
- What is one thing you can do to help someone in need today?