“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a list of blessings that we have come to know as the Beatitudes. There is great significance in the order in which Jesus delivers each of these blessings. He starts with the poor in spirit, or in other words, those who recognize that they are spiritually bankrupt. I think the reason that this is the first blessing is because this is how we are to first come to Jesus: recognizing our inadequacies and insufficiencies. Through this realization, Jesus lets us know that the kingdom of heaven is ours. It is a fulfillment of a promise that was made many years ago in Isaiah 55:1 which says:
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
This theme continues throughout the Scriptures. We read often that the disciples were considered financially poor but yet they were rich with the resources of the kingdom of heaven. One example of this is Peter and John going to the temple to pray.
“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time for prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called the Beautiful Gate every day so he could beg for money from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts, he asked them for money. Peter looked directly at him (as did John) and said, ‘Look at us!’ So the lame man paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!’”
Jesus’ requirement in coming to Him is the recognition that we have nothing to offer and that we need what only He can offer.
Our primary need is for forgiveness but He also offers everything that we need for this life: wisdom, peace, joy, and provision.
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.”
This reference to “life and godliness” includes every aspect of who we are. It is a promise of provision for our three part person: spirit, soul, and body. The hope that we have in this promise is that God will give us what we need. If the world finds themselves “poor” in an area, then their only hope is that perhaps they can work harder and get that thing they are in need of, whether it be material or otherwise. Believers have the promise that if we don’t possess something we need, it is available to us as citizens of heaven.
For example, if someone is about to speak in front of thousands of people, they have only to rely upon their ability and training. A believer can approach the stage with a confidence from the Spirit that will carry them farther than any training would every take them. This is not to say that training is a bad thing, but God will do through us what we could never do in our own ability. No matter how far we go or what we achieve, we must never think we have graduated past Matthew 5:3. For we have nothing to give that did not first come from His hand. May this build your confidence that God has met your insufficiencies with His sufficiency as He is the All Sufficient One. We need only to clothe ourselves with humility as we take up our cross and know where our help comes from.