blessed are the poor in spirit

the most famous sermon ever recorded started with these words, "blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." the poor in spirit are the broken, the weak, the vulnerable, the needy, the outcasts, the crying, the helpless. their blessing is the recognition of reality. it is impossible to see a humble God without humility, without poverty of spirit. that would be like trying to see the poor without being poor. or the rich without being rich. each carry a unique set of burdens. each carry a common set of burdens as well. you must identify with people in order to see them. we get this relational component from God. in order to see God, we must be made like him. we must confront, or rather be confronted by reality. this is the humiliating work of the gloriously affronting Gospel. by his initiation, this happens. we are changed. humility enables us to actually see. admitting blindness promotes sight. declaring the reality of weakness is actual strength. sacrificing is actually gaining. becoming less is becoming great. not in our world. but in reality.