“Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of God” is the first golden verse of Sermon on Mount (Mathew: 5.3, Luke: 6.20). The King and the Lord of kingdom of God is telling all His followers that one of the most important conditions and criteria to enter and own God’s Kingdom. Anybody who is poor in spirit or spiritually poor can readily inherit His heaven.

Poverty in spirit can be illustrated in different ways. Anybody who is hungry and thirsty for righteousness has spiritual poverty. Really being humble and repentant with a broken spirit and contrite heart is in the state of spiritual poverty. Total dependence on the mercy and grace of God for our salvation is another way to express being poor in spirit. It consists of no self-justification at all. Before the great majesty and holiness of God the Lord, we are nobody and nothing! In psalm 51 we can see that king David was crying out and humbly pleading for forgiveness of his sins of adultery and planned murder of his faithful soldier.

In the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector going to the the temple for prayer, we see that the sinner who could not even look to the heaven, cried out for mercy and forgiveness went home justified. The Pharisee went home empty-handed without being forgiven because he was not repentant, did not have a broken spirit. He had a bag of self-justification. (Luke 18:9-14). The woman who wept at the feet of our Lord was forgiven because she had repentant attitude and broken spirit, though she was called a public sinner (Luke 7:36-50). Children are born with humility, simplicity and poor in spirit attitude. That is why the Lord said that Kingdom of God belongs to people with child-like attitude.

A true repentant and helpless and humble human being like the one of the criminals can receive the God’s eternal home of Paradise. Humility is the mother queen of all the virtues. It is like a basket, which will hold all our virtues and good works to present before the Lord. God denies the proud and arrogant people whereas He receives and honors humble and simple people.

Let us all remind ourselves and remember always that we are nothing and nobody before the greatness, holiness and majesty of our Maker, We are saved only by His mercy and grace. God’s only begotten Son is our one the only Savior whom we call upon and depend on. May His Holy Spirit help us always to remain poor in spirit. Amen