Poor in Spirit 

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

   What does “poor in spirit” mean?  It doesn’t mean that we should all be poor.  If so I would think that Jesus would have said, “Blessed are the poor” and would not have included “in spirit”.  Rather, I think it means that we are to be unattached to our earthly belongings. To be satisfied with what we have and to share His blessings with others. 

   I look at the clothes in my closet that I’ve not worn for a while and wonder why I still have them.  If  I’m not wearing them, I certainly don’t need them.  So, every now and then I try to take any clothes that I’ve not worn in the last six months and donate them to charity.

   There are many other things just taking up space which are never used as well.  Those too should be donated.  To me, this is part of being poor in spirit.  Some would say that hoarding things we don’t need is stealing from the truly poor.

   When I stand before the Lord, I will not be judged by what clothes I wore, or what car I drove.  It won’t matter whether or not I had the most up-to-date cellphone or television.  What will matter is how I lived my life.  Did I live it selfishly and sinfully, or did I live it to serve God and all His children?

   The Beatitudes speak to the way I should live my life.  To be poor in spirit is just one of the ways I can try to live as He desires.