I am a Jesus pusher!!! Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount by congratulating us on our arrival at the state of helplessness (poor in spirit). “Mourning” (the second Beatitude) is a natural state which results from being poor in spirit. It begins with our heartbrokenness over self-sourcing. It becomes so dominate that the child of the Kingdom lives in the state of responding out of his helplessness. It compels him to Jesus, the King. The Kingdom is not a reward for those who mourn; it is the dwelling place in the Kingdom.
One does not develop “meekness” (the third beatitude) as an attribute of life and receive the Kingdom as a reward for achievement. The Kingdom person is poor in spirit, a constant recognition of helplessness. He understands and mourns over the disaster in his life produced by the “rich in spirit,” the pride of life. He dwells in a state of aggressive anger against all such pride; this is called “meekness.” Since he is poor in spirit he does not live with pride; he lives in the heart of Jesus; he thinks with the mind of the King. He conquers sin as he joins the dying of Jesus, the cross! He is gentle and mild. In other words, if you are poor in spirit (properly understood) you mourn; if you mourn over the results of all self-centeredness, you are meek. If you are meek, you are in the Kingdom. If you are in the Kingdom, you are poor in spirit, you mourn, and you are meek. The connecting link between each of these is Jesus. Since Jesus is the Kingdom, the only possibility we have of living in this state of being comes through Him. It is His grace and forgiveness which brings it to pass. I am a passionate Jesus pusher!!!