Amanda BethSharing the Truths Behind the TRUTH

Oct 10th Monday’s Blog: Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

This is the first blog in our series on the Beatitudes Jesus taught in Matthew 5:3-12. This week we focus on verse 3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

I used to think that poor in spirit meant saddened and downcast. I thought it meant we were to feel lowly and down because we are sinners.

The amplified version explains the true meaning of poor in spirit: “Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous-with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!”

The poor in spirit are the humble. The humble are not downcast or saddened; they are filled with the joy of the Lord. The humble, those who rate themselves insignificant, seek to lift Christ up instead of lifting themselves up. The humble live to make Christ known, not to make themselves known.

I read a sign recently that said, “It’s better to be faithful than to be famous.” We are to strive to be faithful, not strive to be popular with the world.

I always wanted to be famous growing up. I battled with insecurity most of my life, so I thought being popular would help me overcome my insecurity. After I graduated high school I started pursuing a modeling career. My life dream was to see myself on the cover of a magazine. I wanted to be known.

I eventually got my ticket into modeling after landing an agent at a modeling conference. However, once reality hit me I realized I didn’t want to be a model and I backed out. Modeling didn’t make me satisfied. It didn’t take away my insecurity. In fact, it made me even more insecure. I was so driven by the desire to make a name for myself that I was blinded from my true desires.

Soon after, God got a hold of my heart and started working in me and humbling me. I started to see that God didn’t put me on this earth to make myself known. He put me here to make Christ known. I found that true happiness, and the confidence I desperately desired, was only attained through laying down my ego and pride and allowing Christ to be lifted up in me.

Now, my desire is not to see myself famous, but to make Christ famous. I want His Name to be known everywhere I go. I want to take every opportunity I have to share His glory with the world.

I had nothing to offer the world when I was striving to be famous. Being popular would have only fed my pride and insecurity and led to my downfall. That’s why we see so many celebrities fall. We were not meant to worship man, and we were not meant to be worshiped. We were called to worship only the Lord our God. He is the only One that is to be praised and lifted up.

Chuck Balsamo wrote in his book, Make Me A Legend, “Certainly you have noticed how fast today’s superstar burns up and then fades away. Everyone built on a poor foundation of twisted intentions and rotten character always ends with a humiliating collapse.”

I’ve been talking to other authors lately. I’m finding that many struggle with promoting their books because they are afraid of promoting themselves. I’ve struggled with thinking that as well, but as I told them, God knows our hearts. He knows our motives behind the things that we do. He knows our true intentions. He knows when we are trying to promote ourselves instead of promoting His message.

My friend told me recently that she has been trying to pay attention to her motives. She said it’s amazing how much pride you find when you look at the motive behind everything you do. She shared an example when she fixed the copier at her work. When her boss asked her about the copier, she wanted to say, “I fixed it.” But knowing she would be praising herself, she humbly said “we fixed it” to include the others who worked on it. The boss replied “You mean, you fixed it!” knowing she was really the one who fixed it.

This is a great example of Proverbs 27:2: “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.” We don’t need to praise ourselves and lift ourselves up. We are to praise God and lift up the work He is doing through us. When we are humble, God will lift us up and recognize us. God’s favor will be on us everywhere we go when we walk humbly with Him. When we are humble, we won’t need to make ourselves known. God will make us known because His glory will be shining brightly upon us!

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy….

—Isaiah 60:1-5

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**Prayer for the week**

Heavenly Father,

We praise You that you share Your glory with us! Help us to walk humbly with You all the days of our lives. Help us to live each day making the most of every opportunity to share Jesus’ love with the world. Help us to lay down our worldly pursuits and our pride. And help us to humble ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow You.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen!

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*Come back next Monday as I share more of God’s Truths and the reasons behind the Truths.

*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.