“Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3

The Sermon on the Mount is the kingdom manifesto, the first major speech that Jesus gives to explain the way of the heavenly kingdom. He begins not with the details of its riches, but rather an upside-down paradigm of blessedness. The things that the world looks down on are blessed in the kingdom. Things like poverty, hunger, mourning, meekness, and persecution actually lead to blessing for those in the kingdom. No doubt this was encouraging to an original audience who were intimately familiar with each of these things. And so it is today.

It is important to remember that these beatitudes are not aspirations but facts. Jesus is explaining how kingdom citizens bear these marks and are therefore blessed with the joys of the kingdom, such as comfort, seeing God, and mercy. They tell us how Christians are, not just how Christians ought to be.

It is for this reason that ministry leaders should be expertly and personally acquainted with the truths of the sermons’ introduction. They must know what it is to be poor in Spirit, to mourn, and to be pure in heart. They must also know what it is like to be in the kingdom of heaven, to be comforted by God, and to know God. For those they lead must experience these things too. This is the way of the kingdom and those who lead for it must experience it for themselves.

But almost as importantly, since these are the ways of the kingdom, they are also some of the key ways of kingdom leadership. Christ would not have a leader in His church lead others to meekness who is proud and arrogant. How can a ministry leader comfort those who mourn if he does know what it means to mourn himself? These beatitudes communicate the path a leader must walk in order to live out the blessedness of the kingdom.

So it is in that spirit that I will be exploring the leadership implications of each beatitude in detail, including those for the leader personally and how a leader can cultivate these qualities in his or her ministry. Afterwards I look forward to doing the same with each of the major sections of the Sermon on the Mount. I believe it will be so fruitful to see kingdom leadership from the perspective of the most kingdom text in the New Testament. In short, it will help Christian leaders lead more “Christianly.”

---

What does it mean to be “poor in spirit?”

This is in contrast with being poor financially or poor in this world. Jesus is speaking of those who are poor in spirit or spiritually poor. They have reached into their spiritual purse, dug around with their hands, and come up empty. They realize that they have nothing in themselves to rely on. They are spiritually in need and know it.

How can such a person be blessed? Well take my daughter, for example. At 18 months, she is the poorest person I know! She has never earned a dollar and could not work even if she wanted to. If left alone, she could not cook a meal or even clean herself. If she had to rely on herself, she would simply not survive. But she is blessed, not because she herself is rich, but because she is reliant on her loving parents, who share what we have to meet her needs.

People who are poor in spirit understand that they cannot rely on themselves. There is nothing there for them to lean on for hope and life. But they have a heavenly Father, a King, who provides them all that they need. Their poverty in spirit has led them to a deep dependence on God that characterizes their entire lives. The providence of God is the blessing for all who are spiritually poor.

So this does not just contrast a worldly view of riches, that exalts money as the highest achievement, but also a worldly view of self, that emboldens self-reliance at every turn. The world does not know dependence like this and would not care for it if it did. It champions self-expression, independence, and self-fulfillment while chastising those who get their fill from God alone. This dependence on self and rejection of God is central to the way of the world and that is why its opposite is a condition of kingdom citizenship.

Why does spiritual poverty matter for leaders?

Simply put, leaders must know their place. Martin Lloyd-Jones describes poor in spirit in this way: “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 just this tremendous awareness of our utter nothingness as we come face to face with God.”¹

We are nothing before a holy God. We can do nothing apart from a powerful God (John 15:5). That is our true place. Our qualification for leadership is because of His sanctifying work in our lives. Our preparation for ministry is from His church. Our calling originates with His plans. Having the words to speak comes from the Holy Spirit. Everything good that is in us is Him! How can we possibly claim these things as our own?

But as a ministry leader, you can get caught up in the idea that you are something and you can do things without God. The people you lead look up to you and even admire you. They listen to you and interpret your faithful service as spiritual prowess. Don’t underestimate the power of admiration. Without spiritual poverty, this turns into self-importance and pride. Then self-reliance sets in as you do ministry in your own strength. You may turn to worldly practices and doctrines to maintain the “success”, because the power of His presence is no longer available to you. You have denied the humility that is required of those in the Kingdom and the absolute reality of your need for God.

Although we may be a leader of people who look up to us for our “spiritual prowess”, we must carry our spiritual poverty wherever we go. It keeps us from being confident in our own strength and depending on the things of this world. It reminds us where the true power of our ministry comes from. And it unlocks the door to realizing true grace and status in Christ. As Thomas A Kempis writes, “If I am left to myself, behold I am nothing, I am all weakness; but if suddenly Thou look upon me, immediately I am made strong, and filled with new joy.”² This strength and joy are more blessings of being poor in spirit and have a daily relevance for ministry leaders.

How can leaders cultivate spiritual poverty in themselves?

One of many options for cultivating spiritual poverty is to practice regular fasting. The discipline of abstaining from food reminds us of our need for him as we experience hunger. The weakness we experience reminds us of how deeply we need His strength. Breaking the fast, an overlooked aspect of the habit, fills our hearts with joy as we recognize our deepest provision in Him. If spiritual poverty is a growth area for you, consider fasting once a month with the topic of “poor in spirit” in your heart and ask God to help you depend on Him more deeply.

Questions to Think About:

1. Can you think of a mentor or spiritual leader in your life who is “poor in spirit?”
2. What sticks out about their Christian walk?
3. How can you help the people you lead cultivate spiritual poverty in themselves?

---

1. Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, 1959), 50.
2. Kempis, Thomas À. The Imitation of Christ (Lexington, KY: 2014), 63.