"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." -Matthew 5:3
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 1-11) may be what you think of in terms of blessing now, but I guarantee you it was not what the crowds expected Jesus to say. Imagine; it's the big day, the day of your first public sermon. And to pump up the crowds, you tell them that they should become poor, weak, mournful, hungry, pure in heart, merciful, peaceful and persecuted, because then they would be blessed (Matthew 5:3-11)... Seems odd doesn't it? It was- and really still is.
Let's just look at what Jesus said first in the list. Maybe the first time you read it you unknowingly passed over it. I like what my friend Jonathan said the other day: "I always thought that didn't apply to ME. I'm not poor!" That's what I thought too; maybe I just wasn't as honest about it. But I have a hunch that He wasn't just talking to poor people. In fact, I think that a lot of the people that we would call poor don't really even fit the bill of what Jesus was talking about.
What He was speaking to is the posture that says, "Father, I bring you my heart AND my sacrifice (time, energy, spiritual discipline, good works, etc.) because but You are worthy of it all. It is the best that I have, and I know it is not near enough to merit anything from you, the all-powerful and righteous and loving God. However, I throw myself on Your mercy and ask for Your help!" More often for us, we say something to the effect of, "Thanks for blessing me God. After all, I'm trying my best out here!"
You see, one thing about poor people is that they don't really have another option for the day when they ask you for money on your way to work. This was especially true in Jesus day, before WIC, food stamps and unemployment. I am sincerely thankful that we value caring for the poor in our society with these programs now, but they just didn't have those then. When He told them the beggars (literally) in spirit get blessed, they understood what He meant. "You are going to get blessed if you become so helpless spiritually that you literally become a beggar towards God." It does no good to try to impress God- He is not easily impressed. He is, however, easily pleased by simple faith.
Now I am not saying that we should not be disciplined, faithful, do-gooders-in-works, etc. I am saying, however, that these will never earn anything from a perfect God. On the other hand, though, we can accept Jesus' invitation to become a beggar and be blessed. Actually, He says we can "inherit the the kingdom of heaven." The whole kingdom! What a trade! For, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5: 21 NIV, emphasis mine).
If you're sick, tired, helpless, or strung-out and tired of trying to fix yourself today, I'd go to Jesus. It's the Gospel. He offers His righteousness and kingdom for your sin.
