Hi, I'm Beverley Joy of Simply Story Poetry. 'Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Why would the poor in spirit be happy? What did Jesus mean by this? Does he mean poor financially, poor in health, poorly educated? And why is the kingdom of heaven theirs? This poem is based on the first of The Beatitudesin the Bible - Matthew chapter 5 verses 1-12.
When I lived in the city centre, the poor people, physically and spiritually poor, I saw on the streets did not look happy. I see plenty of middle-class people travelling on the bus and train that also don't look happy. The happiest looking people that I see the most frequently are middle class or wealthy looking actors on TV and in social media advertisements! Buy this thing or do this and you will be happy!
According to the 2021 World Happiness Report, the citizens of Finland ranked #1 in their perception of happiness. The factors that rank happiness were social support of family, health, life choices, absence of corruption in high places and generosity to name a few. Is this the happiness that Jesus is talking about?
During the three years of Jesus' ministry, he healed thousands of people, blind, lame, lepers, me, deaf, epileptic... He even raised people from the dead. The Bible records many people who were happy because Jesus healed them, a family member or a friend. How is this beatitude relevant in 2022?
Other poems in this series of The Beatitudes are The Beatitudes of Jesus - Introduction, Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit? Blessed Are Those Who Mourn? Blessed Are The Meek? Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst?
You can read my poems at Simply Story Poetry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and at simplystorypoetry.com and follow me on Instagram.
Thank you for staying to listen to my poem. I truly appreciate it. Beverley Joy
