In 2023 a Florida deputy was accused of street racing because, as it turned out, he wanted to impress his girlfriend. People get into a lot of trouble trying to impress others. We’re all guilty to some extent, aren’t we? It’s our pride!

Jesus had a better idea. He blessed those who were poor in spirit. He said, “Great blessings belong to those who know they are spiritually in need. God’s kingdom belongs to them” (Matthew 5:3, ERV). When the Lord spoke of being poor in spirit, He meant the opposite of everything that’s summed up in the word pride. Those who are poor in spirit have a proper assessment of who they are without Christ. As the International Children’s Bible puts it: “Those people who know they have great spiritual needs are happy.”

When we recognize we are spiritually bankrupt, we’ll understand the wonder of God’s love for us through Christ. We cannot impress anyone, not even ourselves. But Jesus loves us nonetheless, and through Him alone we find the Kingdom of heaven.

The indispensable condition of receiving the kingdom of God is to acknowledge our spiritual poverty. To the poor in spirit, and only to the poor in spirit, the kingdom of God is given.
John Stott