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What Did Jesus Mean by "Poor in Spirit"

and How Can We Become This?
Maggie Cooper May 25, 2021
Contributing Writer

Matthew 5:3 (NIV) says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.” Ever wonder what that means? At first glance, it might
seem to point to someone who is sad or discouraged. But when we look
closer, it means so much more. I love to compare versions of the Word, and
when I look at the NLT, it puts this verse in a little clearer light as it says,
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the
Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

Now, before we dig deeper, I’ll be honest and tell you I have struggled with
walking through this verse because I believe it is so very important to
understanding what being a follower of Jesus is all about. I don’t think it’s
any accident that Jesus listed this Beatitude first, because the truth is, that
if we can get this one, the others naturally fall into place.
What Does It Mean to Be “Poor in Spirit?”
So “poor in Spirit” is the next area to tackle. Well, this is where the rubber
meets the road. If we look back at the NLT version, it says that “God blesses
those who are poor and realize their need for Him…” I don’t believe that He
meant physically poor necessarily. Those circumstances might drive us to
know our need for Him more, as we think about Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (2
Cor.12) or the “woman with the issue of blood” (Luke 8:43-48). I don’t think
He was solely referring to monetary limitations either, although again when
we are unable to provide for physical needs, that sometimes makes us see
our need for Him more clearly. But the truth is that those are too easy.

Jesus wants us to humbly accept that in and of ourselves, we are not

enough. We just aren’t enough, y’all. And we try to be. We try so, so hard to
be self-sufficient and independent, as we sometimes believe the lie that
those things are what make us strong. But oh, my sweet friends, those are
the ways of the world, not the Kingdom of Heaven.

Accepting that there is One who knows us so well, and knows what we
need, even more than we do...that is becoming “poor in Spirit.” To open our
hands, bow our heads, and say, “I can’t make it on my own.” When we
release control of our next minutes and hours and days to Him, it can be
scary. I know. And many days, I lay things at His feet, acknowledging that
He knows best, only to pick them back up again a few hours later.

I know what it’s like to see the “lists of dos and don’ts” in the Bible and think
that God is controlling and unreasonable and unfair. But y’all, those
guidelines and parables and teachings are there for our good. Because He
knows that the opposite ways are not His best for us. He has given us, in His
immeasurable grace and mercy, the path that leads to life...while our own
way leads to death. It’s that simple.

We have a choice to make. Will we allow Jesus to “become greater” as we

“become less” (John 3:30)? Will we obey His commands (John 14:15)
because we love Him above all else, even more than ourselves? Will we put
His ways into practice instead of forging our own paths (Phil. 4:9)? Will we
accept His teaching (Deut.33:3) or toss it aside for the world’s lies? If we
choose Him, we choose the Kingdom of Heaven, y’all.

What Does It Mean to Be Blessed?

“Blessed” is a big word, right? Not so much in a number of letters, but in
meaning. In our day and age, we see this word a lot. In books, on t-shirts,
hash-tagged on social media posts announcing new homes or jobs or
accomplishments. But the truth is that many times, we are misusing this
word. You see, just a few verses later, Jesus calls those who mourn and are
persecuted “blessed.” Those are hard things that no one would ask for or
call “blessings” in our first-world context.

Y’all, when Jesus told His people they would be “blessed” in the
circumstances listed in the Beatitudes, it wasn’t because they would earn or
be worthy of any blessing, but because in feeling and seeking and giving
and working through these uncomfortable, difficult things, He would be with
them. He alone is the Blessing!

When we are obedient to Jesus’ desires for us, it naturally draws us closer
to His will and His best for us. We are close enough to be held by Him,
comforted by Him, truly seen by Him, truly heard, and truly known. That is
the blessing, my sweet friends.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Wenping-Zheng

A Biblical Example of the “Poor in Spirit”

Throughout the Bible, we find numerous examples of those who were “poor
in Spirit,” but this one stands out because of the way she showed her need
for Jesus. Passionately, with no holds barred. She grieved and was raw and
open with Him, yet her heart never wavered by growing stubborn or prideful
or demanding. And so, she is one of my heroes...because I can’t say the
same.

I have questioned and wept over many situations over the years, maybe
trying to bargain with God and then not follow through on my end...as I
decided I knew better. And maybe you have too. If so, I hope you’ll join me in
learning from this sweet, steadfast soul in the story below.

Hannah is the woman I am talking about. And to fully understand her story,
you really need to read all of 1 Samuel 1-2. But let me share the high points:

Hannah was married to Elkanah, and his other wife had children, but
Hannah did not. The longing of her heart, her greatest desire, was to have
some of her own. His other wife taunted her, and one year she could take it
no more. She went to pray at the entrance of the Tabernacle and was so
overcome that Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk. But she refuted his
claim and told him, “...I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart
to the Lord...I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow” (1 Samuel
1:15-16, emphasis added). In this passionate prayer, she told the Lord that
if He would see fit to give her a son, she would give the child back,
dedicated for his entire lifetime to the Lord’s service.

Hannah went home, and “in due time” (1 Samuel 1:20), she gave birth to her
son Samuel. On the next annual trip to the Tabernacle, Hannah did not go.
This was out of the ordinary, but she said she would wait until “the boy
weaned” (1 Samuel 1:22). In response, Elkanah said, “Whatever you think is
best...Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise” (1
Samuel 1:23). This line makes me wonder if our sweet Hannah, with her
faithful heart, was struggling a bit. I know I would be. I can’t imagine how
her heart was torn looking at that sweet baby boy, knowing he would not be
hers for long.

So, fast forward a few years, and what happened? Hannah kept her word.
She took Samuel to the Tabernacle, presented him to Eli the priest,
reintroducing herself as the one who sat crying in anguish years before and
gave her baby back to the Lord. She gave him back.

And how could she do this? Because she knew that the Lord was the one he
needed most. The Lord was the one she needed most. He had been faithful.
And she knew he would continue to be.

Y’all, she allowed the Lord to be greater. She obeyed His will. She followed
His path. She accepted His teaching and will, over her own. And I believe
with all my heart, we will see her when the Kingdom of Heaven comes one
day.

How Do We Become the “Poor in Spirit” Going

Forward?
Hannah was able to give Samuel to the Lord because He had shown His
faithfulness in the past. As you look at your life, think about the times that
the Lord has done what He said He would do. Times that He has held you
up when you couldn’t stand by yourself. Times that He provided when no
one else could. Maybe even times that He didn’t do what you hoped...but
helped you survive, even in the midst of great sorrow.

We need Him, y’all. We just need Him. We are not able to make it in our own
strength. We don’t have all of the answers. But He does. He goes before and
behind us (Deut. 31:8). He leads us like a shepherd and carries us close to
His heart (Isaiah 40:11). He knows what we need more than we do
(Matthew 6:8).

And more than anything, we need Him. I pray that you will join me today in
telling Him you need Him, not for a minute, or an hour, but always.

What Does "Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit" Mean?

Further Reading

Who Are the Poor in Spirit? & Why are they Blessed? - Meaning of Matthew
5:3

What Does "Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit" Mean (Matthew 5:3)?

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Tinnakorn Jorruang

Maggie Meadows Cooper is a wife, mom, educator, author, and blogger with
a longing for women to grow a heart for Jesus and others. She is the author
of the children’s book “Bumper” and blogs at The Little Moments about
what the Lord is teaching her through her children and everyday life. She
 contributes to Blogs by Christian Women, Devotional Diva, She
Disciples, and Connecting Ministries. An educator with an M.Ed. in
Early Childhood Education from Auburn University (War Eagle!), she
has twenty years of experience working with young children. She
loves all things chocolate, real Coca-Cola, and lives with her
husband, three children, and two rambunctious dogs in Opelika,
Alabama.

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