Matthew 5
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3, NIV)
The Daily DAVEotional
Have you ever heard someone say that “God helps those who help themselves”?
It’s a popular notion that’s been around for years. But is it biblical?
To be fair, there are numerous passages in the Proverbs that extol the virtues of hard work and the foolishness of being lazy. (See Proverbs 10:4; 12:24, 27; 13:4; 19:15, among others)
Additionally, in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Paul issues this admonition:
“Even while we were with you, we gave you this rule: “Whoever does not work should not eat.”
However the sentiment of this popular bit of cultural wisdom is not meant to discourage laziness but instead, it promotes an attitude of self-sufficiency and rugged individualism that is associated more with American culture than biblical values.
Jesus teaches the exact opposite. Instead of teaching that “God helps those who help themselves”, Jesus teaches that ”God helps those who CANNOT help themselves.”
To be poor in spirit means to recognize your own spiritual need; to recognize the poverty of your own soul. The New Living Translation says it this way:
“God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.” (Matthew 5:3, NLT)
The reality is that we are all broken and there is nothing we can do to help ourselves. Many people mistakenly believe that we come to Jesus only to be rescued from an eternity in hell.
While Jesus does save us from the judgment we deserve, we still need Jesus every day, even beyond our initial conversion experience. We are broken and only Jesus can empower us to live the kinds of righteous and holy lives He desires. Only Jesus can provide fullness of life.
Jesus doesn’t just promise to save us from hell. He promises us LIFE. REAL LIFE. Unfortunately, we cannot experience that life if we subscribe to the idea that we must help ourselves first. NO. We cannot help ourselves. We need Jesus to help us every moment of every day!
Reflection
What are some ways our culture promotes the kind of attitude that is expressed in the saying, “God helps those who help themselves.”?
In what ways have you seen this kind of thinking filter into our church and Christian doctrine?
Besides your conversion experience what are some other times or situations where you recognized your own brokenness and need for Jesus?
What are some ways that people can cultivate an attitude of being “poor in spirit”?
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
The Lowedown 