Who are the POOR IN SPIRIT?

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". -  Matthew 5:3.

Who does the Bible call the POOR IN SPIRIT?

Some Bible passages will be used to explain this term.

In Luke 18:18-25 : And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 

It’s true that Jesus told the rich young ruler to give up his wealth and follow Him. On another occasion, Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”.

Actually on no occasion did Jesus rebuke friends who owned properties or command them to sell their homes and businesses. In fact, He often ate with people and stayed at their homes. Friends like Mary and Martha or Zacchaeus the publican were clearly not among the poor. He was even buried in the newly excavated tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin.

So why, then, did Jesus set up what seems to be such a stringent requirement for this particular young man?

The key isn't whether you have money or have it not, but whether you have God or have Him not.

Being POOR IN SPIRIT can also be illustrated in another instance where a disciple asked Jesus Christ for some days of absence so he could go bury his father but Jesus replied let the dead bury the dead.

Luke 9:58-62: Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
He said to another man, "Follow me."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." 

Furthermore, the same applies in the character of Mary in Luke 10:38-42 (Jesus Visits Martha and Mary) As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

One important message that these Biblical verses illustrates is, to be  POOR IN SPIRIT is to realize that nothing we have is worth more than the kingdom of God. This is why Jesus said, “No one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” (Luke 14:33)

Christ is not saying you should despise the blessings God has given us. As the great St. Francis de Sales put it in his “Introduction to the Devout Life” (which is a must read, by the way):

“Woe then to those who are rich in spirit, for their portion will be hell. He is rich in spirit whose heart is in his riches, and whose riches fill his heart . . . if you possess them, preserve your heart from loving them. Do not, then, complain of your poverty (if you are poor), for we complain only of that which displeases us; and if poverty displeases you, you are no longer poor in spirit, for your heart would rather be otherwise.”

In a parable Jesus told us of a rich man who was saving up money but he did not know that he will not live to see the next day. The truth is none of us is responsible for our own existence and our own continuance of existence.

When we think of possessions, our minds automatically go to things like our homes, cars, big screen televisions, and the luxuries with which we live, and this is certainly part of it. But Jesus goes much further when He says, “If anyone loves even his mother and father more than me, he cannot be my disciple”. Jesus is also including our families in this equation. Do you love your children more than Him? What about your health? If he decided to test your faith with disease, would you still trust Him? When Jesus speaks of possessions, He means everything; our careers, our reputations, even if our aspirations are to be leaders in the Christian community, all of these are to be handed over if He asks. The idea of “possessions” is so complete that it includes everything we hold valuable. Nothing is to be more valuable to us than Christ.

Take a leaf from Father Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his only son Isaac (Heb. 11:17). Moses also “chose rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches, than the treasures of Egypt (Heb 11:25,26).

In summary, to be POOR IN SPIRIT means hold nothing more valuable than this pearl of great price. A soul with nothing to lose on earth is a wonderfully dangerous soul, a soul that will lead many to heaven.

Truthfully, the Incarnation, itself, is a living example of poverty as God emptied Himself and took on flesh (2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 2:7-8).

Do not be afraid, we serve a loving God.

Cheers!!!