“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3 NKJV).
A proper understanding will help us appreciate these wonderful teachings of Jesus. “The Beatitudes” are expressions of proper attitudes with the results. To possess these attitudes we must put them into action. Rewards are connected with the attitudes. “The Beatitudes” are attitudes a child of God must possess to be happy and pleasing to the Lord.
The Attitude: The Poor in Spirit
“Poor in spirit” has no reference to what a person has, but what he is. It is an attitude. He is dependent in spirit; that is, he realizes that he must depend on God for all of his spiritual needs. He knows that he cannot rely on self (Jeremiah 10:23). We might describe a person “who is poor in spirit” as one who is lowly in mind (Ephesians 4:2), humble in his actions (Luke 14:11), tender in his feelings (Isaiah 66:2) and respectful in approach (Matthew 6:9). A good example of “poor in spirit” is the tax collector of Luke 18:9-14. The “poor in spirit” are those who recognize their need for the Great Physician (Matthew 9:10-12).
The Reward: Theirs Is the Kingdom of Heaven
The kingdom with all its blessings is theirs. It means that they gain all the benefits that come by being citizens of heaven’s kingdom. The highest values of life belong to those who are “poor in spirit.”
