Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit - Embracing the Paradox of Humility: Beatitudes Part 1



“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3

At the very outset of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus delivers a countercultural bombshell. The people who are truly blessed—those who belong to the kingdom of heaven—are not the strong, the self-sufficient, or the morally impressive. They are the “poor in spirit.” In The Blessing of Humility, Jerry Bridges takes us into the heart of this beatitude and opens a window into the beauty of true spiritual humility.

To be “poor in spirit” is to acknowledge, at the most fundamental level, that we bring nothing to God but our need. It is not a poverty of material wealth, nor is it low self-esteem. It is a sober realization of our spiritual bankruptcy apart from God. Bridges emphasizes that this is the foundation of all genuine humility. Before we can live lives marked by Christlike meekness, mercy, or purity, we must begin with this soul-deep confession: “I have nothing in myself to commend me to God.”

The Myth of Self-Reliance

In our culture, poverty is typically seen as a problem to be solved. Strength is admired, self-sufficiency is praised, and independence is idolized. So it’s no surprise that this beatitude offends our natural instincts. We want to be spiritually “middle-class”—capable, respectable, and deserving of reward. But Jesus tells us that the truly blessed are those who know they are beggars before a holy God.

Bridges points out that even many Christians can drift into subtle self-reliance. We know we are saved by grace, yet we start to live as if our performance is what keeps us in God’s favor. But humility begins with remembering that we never outgrow our need for grace. As the hymn says, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.”

The Awareness Paradox

One of the most profound insights Bridges offers in this chapter is what might be called the “awareness paradox.” As believers grow in holiness, they do not necessarily sin more—but they become more aware of the sin that has always been there. The closer we draw to God’s light, the more clearly we see the shadows in our hearts.

This is where humility deepens. Instead of becoming proud of our spiritual growth, we become increasingly aware of how far we still fall short. Growth in grace does not inflate our egos—it increases our awe of God’s mercy. The more spiritually mature we are, the more we echo Paul’s words in Romans 7:24: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Yet this is not a posture of despair. It is a posture of hope and joy. For the more we see our sin, the more precious Christ becomes to us. Poverty of spirit does not drive us into self-loathing; it drives us into the arms of grace. It opens the door for deeper dependence on Jesus and greater gratitude for His cross.

A Posture of Ongoing Need

Bridges is careful to remind us that poverty of spirit is not a one-time experience at conversion. It is an ongoing attitude of the heart. The gospel is not just the door into the Christian life—it is the foundation on which we build every day. We never move beyond our need for the cross.

This has implications for how we approach our spiritual disciplines, how we relate to other believers, and how we evaluate our spiritual growth. Instead of comparing ourselves to others or measuring ourselves by external achievements, we are called to live in constant dependence on God’s grace.

Poverty of spirit is also the antidote to spiritual pride. When we truly see ourselves as needy recipients of mercy, we are less likely to look down on others who are struggling. We are quick to forgive, quick to confess, and slow to judge. Humility makes us tender. It makes us honest.

The Paradox of the Kingdom

There is a beautiful irony in Jesus’ words. Those who know they have nothing are the ones who receive everything. “Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The poor in spirit are not left outside God’s blessings—they are the first to enter. While the world chases after power, prestige, and self-worth, the humble inherit the riches of the gospel.

This is the upside-down nature of the kingdom Jesus came to bring. It is not earned; it is received. And only those who know their deep need will have hands open enough to receive it.

A Call to Embrace Humility

Bridges closes the chapter with a gentle yet urgent call: Don’t resist this poverty—embrace it. Let it shape your prayers. Let it inform your worship. Let it be the lens through which you see yourself and others. Humility is not weakness; it is spiritual clarity. It is seeing God as He truly is—and ourselves as we truly are.

The blessing of humility begins here, at the foot of the cross, where the poor in spirit find the wealth of heaven.


Inspired by Jerry Bridges, The Blessing of Humility. 

 

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