“The poor in spirit . . . have made peace with their flawed existence.”
I remember reading this quote from Brennan Manning when I was barely out of college. It did not sit well. Poor in spirit? Doesn’t sound fun. Flawed existence? Eesh.
But he spent a lot of time talking about being poor in spirit in his book The Ragamuffin Gospel. While he spoke of it as something to emulate, it brought to mind worthlessness, weakness, helplessness, being lesser. I wanted none of that. When I read in the beatitudes that the poor in spirit inherit the kingdom of God, I thought, “well, at least they get something out of it.”
Fast forward 20 years, and I can’t say that in the interim being poor in spirit was something I even thought about. Until now.
This phrase, “poor in spirit”-I can’t get away from it. When I mention it to others, they say, “That’s not good, right?”
We don’t want to be poor in spirit. I have wondered what it really looks like. So I’ll start with what I know-how to not be poor in spirit.
How to avoid being poor in spirit
If we want to avoid being poor in spirit, we take everything for granted. Believe that whatever we have, we deserve. We have a right to it. That includes religious freedom, answers to prayer, a smaller waistline (c’mon 2018). Come to think of it, we should include salvation in that. After all, we’re decent people.
We should also get the glory for where we are in life. We have gifts and we used them, simple as that. Give us some credit.
Of course, we should rely on our own resources. Don’t admit need or ask for help. We don’t want to be a burden to anyone. People like you better when you pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, right?
Naturally, we should maintain some semblance of control. We can do it all and have it all if we just exercise enough autonomy over our circumstances.
We should be underwhelmed by life in general. The sun comes up every day-no need to be wowed by it every time. If people are kind, loving, generous, or gracious to us, just accept it. No need for gratitude.
But if we do all this, we lose the kingdom.
I don’t know about you, but I’m done being underwhelmed. Relying on myself hasn’t gotten me far. Everything I have is a gift, and I want to treat it as such. There but for the grace of God go I, in every single thing. I want that truth to permeate my being.
So what does it look like to be poor in spirit? Here’s where I’m starting:
The poor in spirit are humble. The truth is we have nothing apart from God, and everything with Him. When we are poor in spirit, we own our brokenness and our wholeness, and see ourselves rightly before God and others. We make peace with our flawed existence.
The poor in spirit are generous. If we know nothing we have is ours to begin with, we won’t hold tightly to it. Instead, we will be open-handed, giving and receiving freely. Beggars showing other beggars where to find bread.
The poor in spirit are grateful. When we remember that nothing originates from us, and yet we are swimming in blessing, how can we not be thankful? The first breath we breathe every morning, the work we do, the people we love, the fact that we have purpose, joy, peace, salvation-it is all an undeserved gift.
The poor in spirit are dependent. Dependent not only God but on others. Our weaknesses will not drive us to hide but to lean. Daily bread will be our food, limping our stance, and all without shame.
I want the kingdom.
So this is my intention for 2018: to live out what it means to be poor in spirit. I’m still learning what it means, but I’m going to start with this: humble, generous, grateful, and dependent.
What about you? What is your intention for 2018?
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Thought provoking and inspiring. Interesting to listen to my own reaction to the idea of striving to be poor in spirit. I love your thoughtful applications.
Thanks Kara!
Thanks for sharing this, Gina. It spoke to me today. I can relate with taking credit for what comes from exercising my gifts and assuming the good in life and blessings “should” come. Being thankful for all the things forces me to actually face that it’s all from God and undeserved. But I like to deserve things! I think it makes me feel in control and significant.
This is wonderful truth. Thank you so much for your insights.
It spoke into what God seems to be doing in me s-t–i-l-l. I am taking so long to learn to find my identity and significance in Jesus and NOT in what he has me doing. I find it soooo hard to wake up each morning and give my day to God and be ready to do what he brings into it, or what he’s already placed before me to do…see there it is again “my”day. So much of self still very self-evident. Even this is all about me and not him.
Aaahhh! But he is the God of hope and he hasn’t given up on me.
He is faithful and he is changing me into the image of his son.
He knows what he is doing as his best will for me. I might feel I’ve gone back in years to when i was on call for family and had less roles but that is where he has placed me for now. He knows what he is doing.
So my desire for 2018 is to embrace the life he’s given me for now rather than complain about the bits I wish were different.
I love that Jacqueline-to embrace the life he’s given you rather than focusing on what you wish were different.