Poor In Spirit

“Blessed are the poor is spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3)

Poor in spirit.

I used to think that meant poor in spirit so poor in the physical realm.

The blind.

The deaf.

The lame.

Not so.

Poor.

Pauper.

Public beggar.

So poor that they can not do anything but ask for help.

Ask. For. Help.

These are the happy ones.

The blessed.

These are the ones who have greater access to the kingdom.

Yahshua said so.

Poor.

Pauper.

Public beggar.

Ask for help.

Ask.

A Cultural Difference

Oh.

Hmmm.

I live in a culture where independence is exalted.

Self-reliance.

Assertive.

Initiator.

We ask for help to accomplish a goal if we cannot do it ourselves.

But we do all we can to make sure to do it ourselves first.

Try.

Attempt.

Try again.

Self-reliance.

Asking for help is not the first option.

And then, do nothing but ask for help?

To be such a mendicant?

Publicly begging?

No.

That’s not us as a culture.

Questions

So why did Yahshua put it at the top of the blessed list?

What did he mean?

And what’s wrong with spiritual independence?

What’s bad about spiritual self-reliance?

Aren’t we supposed to make sure that we can understand things first?

Why should we ask for help spiritually?

Challenges

Asking for help has never been easy for me.

I usually try to do it myself first, anyways.

But spiritually, that’s dangerous.

I have a limited perspective.

Yahweh has an unlimited perspective.

I’m likely to make a wrong decision.

And if I don’t ask for help, I could continue on that wrong path for years.

Yahweh may send the messengers.

Yahweh may impress on my heart to turn around.

Yahweh may continually show me my poor choice, but if I’m driven to be self-reliant, then spiritually I’ll be the same.

I might ignore Him.

I might reject His messengers.

I might refuse to see that I made a poor choice because I might think that I’m always right.

Yes.

That’s one of the characteristics of being self-reliant.

We think we’re right and we act on it.

Even when we’re wrong, we think we’re right.

That’s a hindering character trait socially.

It’s a stumbling trait.

It comes across as pride.

And it likely is.

Hmmm.

Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to ask, to publicly beg.

Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to be poor in spirit.