By Warren W. Wiersbe
Matt. 5:1-16 Our attitude toward ourselves (v. 3).
To be poor in spirit means to be humble, to have a correct estimate of oneself (Rom. 12:3 ). It does not mean to be “poor spirited” and have no backbone at all! “Poor in spirit” is the opposite of the world’s attitudes of self-praise and self-assertion. It is not a false humility that says, “I am not worth anything, I can’t do anything!” It is honesty with ourselves: we know ourselves, accept ourselves, and try to be ourselves to the glory of God.
Our attitude toward the Lord (vv. 7-9).
We experience God’s mercy when we trust Christ (Eph. 2:4-7 ), and He gives us a clean heart (Acts 15:9 ) and peace within (Rom. 5:1 ). But having received His mercy, we then share His mercy with others. We seek to keep our hearts pure that we might see God in our lives today. We become peacemakers in a troubled world and channels for God’s mercy, purity, and peace.
Our attitude toward the world (vv. 10-16).
It is not easy to be a dedicated Christian. Our society is not a friend to God nor to God’s people. Whether we like it or not, there is conflict between us and the world. Why? Because we are different from the world and we have different attitudes.
As we read the Beatitudes, we find that they represent an outlook radically different from that of the world. The world praises pride, not humility. The world endorses sin, especially if you “get away with it.” The world is at war with God, while God is seeking to reconcile His enemies and make them His children. We must expect to be persecuted if we are living as God wants us to live. But we must be sure that our suffering is not due to our own foolishness or disobedience.
