- Mar 27, 2020
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I have noticed that there are unfortunately many Christians that do not understand the meaning of what it means to be 'poor in spirit'.
The whole principle on which life is run today is about believing in your-self, self-confidence, assurance and self-reliance; the powers that are innate in yourself and let the whole world see them. This idea is absolutely controlling the life of men at the present time. There is a tragic confidence in the power of education, knowledge as such to save men, to transform them and make them into decent human beings.
There is nothing so unchristian in the Church today as this foolish talk about 'personality'. Have you noticed this tendency of some to talk about 'personality' and say such phrases as 'what a wonderful personality that man has'?
What does it mean to be poor in spirit? To be 'poor in spirit' does not mean that we should be diffident or nervous, nor does it mean that we should be retiring, weak or lacking in courage. We have all met those naturally unobtrusive people who, far from pushing themselves forward always stand in the background. They are born like that and may even be naturally weak, retiring and lacking in a sense of courage. None of these things indicate that you are 'poor is spirit'.
To be poor in spirit is not a matter of the suppression of personality. You do not have to go out of life in order to be 'poor in spirit'. Rather than it means a complete absence of pride, a complete absence of self-assurance and of self-reliance. It means a consciousness that we are nothing in the presence of God. It is nothing then that we can produce; it is nothing that we can do ourselves. It is just a tremendous awareness of our utter nothingness as we come face to face with God.
If we are truly Christian, we shall not rely upon our natural birth, upon the fact that we belong to certain families, nations or nationalities. We shall not build on our natural temperament, our position in life, or any powers that have been given to us. Or the money and wealth that we have. We shall not rely upon our gifts like natural personality, intelligence or any abilities, morals and good behaviours. There must be a complete deliverance from and absence of all of thath. It is to feel that we are nothing and that we have nothing, and that we look to God in utter submission to Him and in utter dependence upon Him, and His grace and mercy. The way to become poor in spirit is to look at God.
The whole principle on which life is run today is about believing in your-self, self-confidence, assurance and self-reliance; the powers that are innate in yourself and let the whole world see them. This idea is absolutely controlling the life of men at the present time. There is a tragic confidence in the power of education, knowledge as such to save men, to transform them and make them into decent human beings.
There is nothing so unchristian in the Church today as this foolish talk about 'personality'. Have you noticed this tendency of some to talk about 'personality' and say such phrases as 'what a wonderful personality that man has'?
What does it mean to be poor in spirit? To be 'poor in spirit' does not mean that we should be diffident or nervous, nor does it mean that we should be retiring, weak or lacking in courage. We have all met those naturally unobtrusive people who, far from pushing themselves forward always stand in the background. They are born like that and may even be naturally weak, retiring and lacking in a sense of courage. None of these things indicate that you are 'poor is spirit'.
To be poor in spirit is not a matter of the suppression of personality. You do not have to go out of life in order to be 'poor in spirit'. Rather than it means a complete absence of pride, a complete absence of self-assurance and of self-reliance. It means a consciousness that we are nothing in the presence of God. It is nothing then that we can produce; it is nothing that we can do ourselves. It is just a tremendous awareness of our utter nothingness as we come face to face with God.
If we are truly Christian, we shall not rely upon our natural birth, upon the fact that we belong to certain families, nations or nationalities. We shall not build on our natural temperament, our position in life, or any powers that have been given to us. Or the money and wealth that we have. We shall not rely upon our gifts like natural personality, intelligence or any abilities, morals and good behaviours. There must be a complete deliverance from and absence of all of thath. It is to feel that we are nothing and that we have nothing, and that we look to God in utter submission to Him and in utter dependence upon Him, and His grace and mercy. The way to become poor in spirit is to look at God.