Writing on what Jesus means when He blesses the poor in spirit (Mt 5:3), Blair Smith comments,
"This stands in contrast to so much of what we see. The spirit of our age tells us to "express" ourselves and "believe" in ourselves. We are about self-reliance, self-sufficiency, self-confidence, and so on. The counter-cultural truths of the Beatitudes say, "Empty self so that God can come in." When we are full of self, we miss the blessing of God's presence. If we are always full of self, we are not even Christian.
We never outgrow this first beatitude. It is the basis upon which we ascend to the others. If we outgrow it, we outgrow our Christianity."
Taken from "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit," Tabletalk Magazine, June 2017 Edition, pages 14-15.
". . . For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted," - Jesus the Lord, Luke 18:14.
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