““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:3 NRSV
This is one of that many people struggle with. For some people they have never known what it means to be full and rich in spirit. Some people try to put themselves down because they want the reward and really won’t come close. But some are genuinely poor in spirit. They are hurting, fearful, lost in their minds and their struggles. It is not a false humility, it is a constant struggle.
Strangely enough this can actually help.
When we have everything together, we can easily drift away from Jesus because we don’t think we need Him. But when we are poor in spirit, we start to recognize that we are missing something vital in our lives. Some people will spend their lives searching for it. Some people will think that they are worthless never start looking. Some will try to make everything fit.
But the gospel is not about us searching for a hidden answer. The Gospel is that Jesus entered into the brokenness that is our world, our lives to meet us where we are at. To meet us in our failures, our empty successes, our feigning perfections, to meet us in our lies and invites us to follow Him. The invitation is not for the perfect because only He is perfect. The invitation is not just for the already repentant but the invitation does lead to repentance.
We are all sinners. We have all fallen short of the perfection of God. God still loves us and invites us to come back to Him. To come back to Him in our brokenness so that He will make us whole. Some will but unfortunately some will not. This is sad but it is not because God has not reached out. He has reached out to all of humanity through Jesus Christ. The wholeness that God offers in Jesus is not to be abused servants but living heirs of the kingdom of heaven.