Matthew 5:3 AMP
[3] “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].
At the start of the earthly ministry of Jesus, there were quite a lot of people around Him at all times. We see Him take a break from the crowd sometimes, and go by Himself to pray and be refreshed. There were also other times that He would minister to the crowd and then have their physical need of food miraculously provided. There were also times that He would teach the crowd in parables, and then come in private to teach His disciples the truths and essence of the parables. There were also some special times when all the crowd, including the disciples, were also present. That did not stop Jesus from being direct about the target of His messages. The account of the verse above is one of such incidents. He got up on a mountain and sat down, and when His disciples had come to Him, He sat down and began to teach them.
Yes, the crowd was there and was listening, but at this time, the message was not for the indecisive crowd, but for the definitive disciple. Which one are you: are you content blending in with the crowd, or can you dare stand out from the midst of the crowd? The message in the verse above is for those who know, recognise and understand their own limitations and shortcomings, and are ready and willing to seek help from the right source. As always, there are options, but it has to be clear what the end of those options are. The poor in spirit are those who know that by and of themselves, they cannot survive. They seek help from the Maker of Heaven and earth, sure that His help will keep and sustain them as they journey down here on earth, until they arrive in eternal dwellings in the kingdom of heaven. They do not pretend to have it all under control.
It has to be clear to me where the current journey I am on ends. If I am not sure, I need to be certain today. Is there any achievement I think qualifies me for heaven? Is there any acquisition that makes me think I can earn or work my way into heaven? Are there any good works of themselves that make me think that I have enough to secure a spot in the kingdom of heaven? Whatever the position is, let it be clear that the start point for anything that will last is total and absolute faith in, dependence on and submission to God. He leaves no room for alternative arguments, where I think I can merge both God and other options. The kingdom of heaven is a dictatorship, where rules are enforced, and access is subject to specific conditions. The benefits of that kingdom are also eternal, and I will do well to strive to enter, aligning myself with the terms and conditions. Now that I know, what is my decision? God's kingdom waits; would you come in? God's time of favour is here.
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