In Habakkuk 2:4, the prophet declared, “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.” Although this is the first time the principle is stated in these words, it is not new. It is as old as God’s dealing with man. The righteous have always and always will live by faith (Gal. 2:20). Therefore, it is important for us to understand faith, and how to develop a faith approach to living. The Beatitudes can help us because they give us basic information about the person who lives a life of faith. Let’s consider the first, the poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3).
To be “poor in spirit” does not mean poor in the sense of material goods or a lack of self-esteem. The more accurate definition of “poor in spirit” is “an emptying out of a man, all the worldly, selfpromotional attitudes and ideas.” It is the attitude of the individual who has learned that there is nothing to lean upon except God (James 4:10). Not our abilities, our intellect, or our accomplishments. Not our education, our wealth, nor our prestige…. etc. Although God may choose to use all or none of our gifts, the person who is “poor in spirit” only sees God, not himself.
By inspiration of God, the prophet Isaiah gives us two statements that explains how important this quality is to Him. In Isaiah 66:1-2, we learn that God’s new dwelling, the church, is made up of people who are of “a poor and contrite spirit and trembles at His word.” In Isaiah 57:15, we learn that God abides with those who are of “a contrite and humble [poor] spirit.” These are the individuals who bow before God and acknowledge their sinfulness and total dependance on the Lord.
Consider the problem of the opposite characteristic, the person who is “rich in spirit.” It is the person who sees only himself. This person needs no one because he has everything he needs to succeed in life. This is the man of pride and arrogance. The Scriptures teach that a haughty spirit will have a fall and be destroyed (Prov. 16:18; 29:23). In contrast, being “poor in spirit” equips us with certain abilities to honestly know ourselves. We don’t have to pretend who we are or are not. We can use anything we have or are capable of doing. Additionally, being “poor in spirit” equips us with the ability to know God. Since our focus is not on ourselves, we can honestly recognize the fact that we do not compare to Him.