Poor but Blessed

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. —Matthew 5:3

Christians who go on mission trips to impoverished places often report the believers they meet there are some of the most grateful and joyful in the world. They marvel at this, since those believers have so little. Some of our brothers and sisters around the world live in abject poverty on pennies per day. Sanitation, satisfying meals and adequate clothing may be foreign concepts. Some Western Christians think of this and feel guilty or bitter. They assume Jesus chastises them for having more than poor people, or that He naturally loves and blesses the poor more. Today’s verse offers a different perspective on poverty. When Jesus spoke of the poor in spirit, He wasn’t only talking about material things, although some of His audience might have been impoverished. He was talking about the state of the spirit. To be “poor in spirit” means to understand, no matter how much or how little you have, material possessions are not what make you important to God. Money and things may help you reach your goals in this world, but they mean nothing in Heaven. What does mean something is your ability to abide in and obey the Lord. Love, joy, patience and other fruits of the Spirit are what make you rich in Christ. If you are comfortable from an earthly standpoint, don’t feel guilty or assume you must be poor to be blessed. Instead, thank God for your abundance and seek opportunities to share it. Learn about impoverished Christians around the world. Pray for them, and when you hear of their joy, do your best to emulate it in your own life. You may grow poorer materially, but your spirit will be rich.