Blessed Are the Poor In Spirit

Read

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

Think

No one wants to be poor. We spend our lives trying to build security, prove our worth, and show the world we have it all together. But Jesus says the ones who truly belong to the kingdom of heaven are the poor in spirit—the ones who know they have nothing apart from him. This isn’t about financial poverty; it’s about spiritual emptiness, acknowledging, “I can’t do this on my own.”

Puritan pastor Thomas Watson once wrote, “Till we are poor in spirit, we are not capable of receiving grace.” That’s the heart of it. The proud and self-sufficient will never reach for what they think they already have. But those who recognize their deep need for God are the ones who experience the richness of his grace. The world teaches us to be independent, but the kingdom of God belongs to the dependent—to those who stop pretending they have it all figured out and instead surrender to the One who does.

Think about it—who gets help? The person who admits they need it. Who experiences transformation? The one who knows they can’t change alone. When we come to God empty, he fills us. When we finally let go of our self-reliance, we find what we were missing all along.

So where do you stand today? Are you still trying to prove you’re enough, or are you willing to open your hands and say, “Jesus, I need you”? Because the paradox of the kingdom is this—when you lose yourself, you find life.

Apply

Start your day surrendered. Before you reach for your phone or plan your day, take a moment to pray: “God, I need you today. I can’t do this on my own.” Acknowledge your dependence on him first thing in the morning.

Pray

Lord, I come to you empty-handed, knowing I have nothing apart from you. Help me to let go of my pride, my self-reliance, and my need for control. Teach me what it means to be truly poor in spirit—to depend on you in every moment. Fill me with your grace, strengthen me with your presence, and remind me that the kingdom belongs to those who trust in you, not in themselves. In Jesus’ name. Amen.