Blessed are We!

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

This is kind of a difficult passage with many possible interpretations.

I guess it's because we tend to pick and choose what we want to hear. I think Jesus meant that we have to be poor in spirit, dependent on Him, empty of ourselves, before we can have the kingdom come into our lives. You can't fill a bottle which is already full of water or wine. If our hands and hearts are already carrying so much of what the world has to offer, we will not be able to receive from God what He wants to give us. That is reason enough to be pitiful instead of blessed! 

This passage is also about being really poor, wanting, needing... when we are poor, we are not content with the state our life is, and we are ready to cling to God. Not like the rich, young man in the Bible who was already contented with what he had and did not want to give up anything for God.

I hope we will never be content with our life as it is. No matter how special we are, we should know that we are spiritually poor, bankrupt before the Almighty God. We have absolutely nothing to offer Him aside from our sinful selves. Still He calls us to Himself, worthless as we are. As His children, He wants to give us the riches of heaven, robes of royalty in exchange for rags, and beauty for ashes. Blessed are we indeed!