Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
—Matthew 5:3-4 (ESV)
How do we create a life that flourishes?
What is the blueprint for true success and prosperity? Is it about finding the right job, buying the right home, wearing the right clothes, or surrounding ourselves with the right friends? Or is it more about doing, saying, and liking the right things?
We are easily convinced that we’ve got to have it all together in order to attain “the good life.”
Jesus starts His sermon by saying the exact opposite: recognizing our spiritual poverty is the single most important requisite to a flourishing life.
It’s not a one-and-done activity, but a moment-by-moment practice that shapes us as we follow Him. Recognizing our lack of spiritual wealth could paralyze us. But Jesus desires that our spiritual poverty carves a well-worn path straight to Him.
Oh, what comfort we can enjoy from the One who forgives us and redeems us from sin and its curse!
Application Questions for Today
How might my interactions today be shaped by seeing my spiritual poverty alongside the riches of Jesus’s grace?
Have I fallen for the deception that I am enough and that everything I need is already within me?
Or do I agree with Jesus that I am spiritually needy, allowing His forgiveness to give me the true richness of knowing Him?
Click the video below to hop onto Dwell Richly’s YouTube channel for help memorizing the Sermon on the Mount at a comfortable, doable pace.