“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” –Matthew 5:3
The juxtaposition of the poor in spirit and the kingdom of heaven is intriguing. It’s nothing and everything at the same time. Why does the poor in spirit receive the kingdom of heaven? I think this has much to do about humility, for God only gives grace to the humble—to those who are open to receive. No wonder why it’s “easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”. It’s because a rich man “owns” the kingdom of the world. He has the false sense of security for his life, being wealthy in materials things. It’s hard for a rich person to think he needs anything else when he feels he has everything already. And that’s the very reason why he will find it extremely difficult to receive the kingdom of heaven. In order to receive the kingdom of God, one has to be willing to forsake the kingdom of the world.
“For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” –Matthew 16:25
The key to the kingdom of heaven is being poor in spirit. It’s about having a vulnerable disposition and coming to the Lord as children do, with arms wide open, holding on to nothing, so as to hold on to everything from our Father. He wants to give us His Kingdom. He wants to give us His love. He wants us to know that what He gives is all that we need.
I’ve realized that to desire and have everything of this world, is to have nothing at all. But to desire and have nothing of this world, is to have everything of God.
“And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, ‘One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich.” – Luke 18:22-23