The Poor in Spirit

This passage deals with the blessing of ‘the poor in spirit,’ the heart of the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus proclaimed. It emphasizes that, unlike the Jews who tried to fill themselves with works of the Law, true Christians must throw away useless greed and lust and fill their spirits with steadfast faith. It teaches that we need the attitude of a steward, who acknowledges that the world's power and possessions were created for God's glory and regards everything as belonging to God.

Being poor in spirit does not mean laziness or indifference; it means letting go of the attachment of calling things mine, and living a life of obedience and devotion to God. It is not so much that pursuing worldly success or wealth is wrong for believers; rather, they must guard against the attitude of regarding it as their own and being greedy for it. A heart that manages what God has given, does good, and loves one's neighbor is the very way to store up treasure in heaven, and it becomes a testimony that exalts God's name even amid the world's persecution.

We already live hoping for the unseen glory of the kingdom of heaven. Yet what choices must we still make so that our hearts are not captured by the things of the world?