Matthew 5:3 (NKJV) 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

In this world of brash, brazen and self-confident modernists, living the life of humility through spiritual poverty is not an easy road, neither is it a road recommended by many. The world has trained us to be self-confident and highly opinionated, if we are going to be somebody in our world. To be poor (in spirit or anything else) is highly frowned upon. The world’s message has unfortunately also been echoed by the Church, and that message is not about spiritual poverty. 

Yet, Jesus begins His teachings on the sacred lifestyle, by calling spiritual poverty a blessing. Why? Because the spiritually poor are very unassuming. He is not the forceful pushy leader who bosses people around. He sees himself in the simplest of ways and never arrogates to himself, any sense of importance or pride. One of the first ways to identify someone in the Kingdom of Heaven is by his sense of spiritual poverty. He is never satisfied with where he is spiritually and is always pursuing a way to rise in his walk with the Lord. Look for a man who does not boast and regard himself “more highly than he ought to,” and you’ve found a man in the Kingdom of Heaven. Do not be mistaken in thinking that the poor in spirit lacks spiritual authority. On the contrary, his poverty is his strength and authority, and unto such, heaven listens to more quickly and responds to more rapidly. In God’s system, therefore, the poor in spirit are the mighty in His Kingdom. “Lord, I know I am not as spiritually inclined and elevated as I ought to. A simple investigation of my life betrays areas of weakness and failure. My nakedness I may hide before men, but You see me through and through. Help me live in truth of myself and humility; to walk with You and to grow into You. Never let me forget my failures and by them, always keep me humble. In Jesus name.”