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The first beatitude as recorded in the gospel according to Matthew states: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:5). When Jesus started with this first beatitude, those who gathered to listen to His teaching were likely to have been shocked at His words. This is because poverty has never been known to be a blessing. What is popularly regarded as a state of blessedness in the world’s general estimation is wealth, power, success or the abundance of all good things. So, the multitude would most probably have wondered what Jesus was talking about when He went on to say in other beatitudes that the mourners, the meek, those who hungered and thirst were also counted as blessed people. What exactly did Jesus mean by these words?
In Isaiah 55:8-9, God declares to the Israelites thus: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” These verses show that God’s words and commands can never be fully understood and obeyed without His help. As Christians we must pray for the grace to understand the Bible from God’s point of view.
Some members of Christ’s audience and even some Christians of today may wonder why Jesus made this beatitude the first while others may just assume that it was just a coincidence that Jesus pronounced blessings on those who are poor in spirit before other group of people. However, a close examination of the spiritual import of the totality of the beatitudes will reveal that the premier place given to poverty of spirit is not mere co-incidence but is deliberate. This is because poverty of spirit is foundational and fundamental to all the other graces in the Bible. A man or woman who is not poor in spirit does not have the basic foundation required in the Christian life and therefore, all the other graces such as purity, forgiving spirit, willingness to suffer for Christ and meekness, amongst others will be lacking in him.
But what exactly did Christ mean by poverty of spirit? Poverty of spirit is the state of a person who is humble in heart and in spirit, who is aware that he is spiritually poor and craves for God’s Word and Spirit that he may become spiritually mature and perfect. It is an acceptance of one’s sinfulness and wretchedness without Christ and it is the acknowledgement that Jesus is the only way to salvation from one’s sinful and wretched state. It is the readiness to accept God as the one and only God and to humbly seek to obey and worship Him throughout one’s life. It is a spirit that is responsive to God’s Word and which is easily convicted or motivated to pray as a result of hearing the word. Poverty of spirit is humility in all its ramifications.
Except we die to self, the world, to personality, fame and pride we will never be poor in spirit and we will miss entering the kingdom of heaven; for Jesus clearly stated that the kingdom of heaven is for those who are poor in spirit. Sadly, the opposite of poverty in spirit which is pride, is common even amongst Christians today and it is one of their greatest undoing. Jesus said in John 12:24 that “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and die, it remains alone”. Therefore, unless a person dies to his old, proud and carnal self, he will not resurrect to righteousness in Christ.
An example of a man who was poor in spirit in the Bible was Elisha. In 1 Kings 19:19-21, we read that Elisha was a very rich man when he was appointed by God to be Elijah’s successor. Still the Bible portrays Elisha as being ready to be submissive and obedient to Elijah’s authority He was described in 2 Kings 3:11 as the one “who poured water on the hands of Elijah”. Elisha was ready to serve as Elijah’s assistant because he knew that Elijah had all the anointing which he did not possess and that if he must receive the anointing of Elijah he must be ready to learn from him, Thus Elisha can be said to be a man who was poor in spirit and as a result he was so favoured by God that his anointing and his ministry was greater than that of Elijah, his master. The reason many people do not get great things from God is because they lack humility, that is, they are not poor in spirit. They find it difficult to submit to leadership and to learn from their spiritual superiors.
Poverty in Spirit can be said to consist of four major attributes. These are: Absolute Dependence on God’s Grace; Humility and Self-abasement; Deference to God’s Will in the Matter of Material Possession; and Unaffected by Worldly Wealth or Position. (To be continued next week).
A Call to take a Decision
Beloved, have you entered into personal relationship with Jesus Christ by accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour? If you have not, you need to do so without delay. Inviting and accepting Jesus Christ into your life is the beginning of a glorious and eternally rewarding relationship with God, your Creator. It is a decision you can never regret as you walk with Him faithfully and consistently for the rest of your life. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ today by acknowledging that you are a sinner. God sent Jesus Christ to die for you and as you confess your sins to Him, He will forgive you so that you will not have to be punished for the same. Ask Jesus Christ to cleanse you with His precious blood, deliver you from sin and Satan and empower you by the Holy Spirit to henceforth live above sin and live totally for God from now on. You can write and share your testimony via [email protected]
