<Matthew 5: 3>

 Some time ago, there lived a doctor who can diagnose every type of disease by a urine test.  A skeptical man tried to prove this doctor wrong by collecting a urine sample from each of his five family members, including the family dog, and mixed it into a single sample before turning it into the doctor’s office.  After analyzing the sample, the doctor called the man into his office.  In a serious tone, the doctor told the man, “Sir, we have some problems.”  The man asked, “What’s wrong with me?”  The doctor answered, “Well, seems like you’re not the only one with problems.  You should cut back on your drinking if you don’t want to become an alcoholic; your wife should stop cheating on you, otherwise she’s going to get something she will really regret; your son should stop using drugs for obvious reasons; your daughter should stop smoking if she doesn’t want cancer; and your dog should stop chasing parked cars if he doesn’t want any more bumps on his head.”

 This joke illustrates a dysfunctional modern-day family.  Interestingly, unlike before, people themselves are no longer the source of the family problem.  Rather, the computer and the Internet have become the source of problem that threatens the modern day family.  Time spent on the Internet takes away from the healthy and necessary interactions between family members.  Adult Internet sites, which promote immoral sexual activities, have become a major source of concern for today’s society.  Internet is full of these sites that create social problems.  Moreover, countless numbers of teenagers are addicted to computer and Internet games.  In some cases, these addictions require medical treatment.

 A tragedy took place in the city of Kwangju, Korea on October 8^th.  A 24 year old man collapsed and died in a Cyber-café (businesses that allow customers to use computers and the Internet).  Police investigation revealed that this man had spent the past 86 hours doing nothing but playing games on the Internet.  He was so into playing the games that except for quick breaks to eat Ramen noodles, he did not move away from the computer.  Needless to say, he did not sleep a wink during that period.

 In today’s ‘Information Age,’ we cannot survive without the Internet.  Borders that separated nations have been virtually torn down by the complex web of computer network systems.  We live in the world where gaining accurate and relevant information one second quicker then the competitor can determine success and failure.  But the mechanical addiction of today’s people whether it is the Internet or cellular phone already has surpassed dangerous level. 

 Then what does this word ‘addiction’ mean?  What can describe this state of addiction?  To define the word ‘addiction,’ the noted spiritual activist Richard Foster introduces a story of his friend.

 One morning, this friend of Foster’s went outside his house to pick up the morning paper.  But the paper had not been delivered for some reason.  Surprised, and not knowing what to do, this man started looking around to find his paper.  His eyes turned to his neighbor’s driveway.  His neighbor’s paper had been delivered that morning.  Losing his sanity for a moment, he went and stole his neighbor’s newspaper.  After he came back into his house, this man realized what he had done and understood that he was addicted to the morning paper.  He immediately got on the phone and called the newspaper deliverer to cancel his subscription.  Addiction is a state of dependency that renders us powerless, leaving us unable to act freely on our own like slaves.

 In this tired world, we have become slaves and we must regain our freedom.  We lost that peacefulness in our hearts, due to the complex technology, noise, and busyness of our world.  We must find that tranquillity in our hearts.  Many masters from this society have entered into our hearts, giving us commands that leave us no moment of rest.  Then what can cure the souls of modern people, who, in the midst of all this chaos, have developed a figurative schizophrenia?

 When we ask this question, we must turn our eyes towards Jesus’ solution.  The fifth chapter of Matthew is the chapter that starts Jesus’ famous “The Sermon on the Mount.”   It is a beginning of Jesus’ teaching, often called the “Beatitudes.”  Of the pronouncements, or blessedness mentioned, the first one that Jesus mentions is contained in today’s scripture.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  This blessedness is the basis of all other blessedness; therefore, it is mentioned first.

​What does “poor in spirit” mean?  What state does this describe?  Here, we must pay attention to the fact that Jesus specifically pointed out those who are poor in spirit, not just those who are poor.  It shows that Jesus was not talking about those who were poor in terms of material wealth.  Of course, the Bible itself contrasts the ‘pious poor’ with the ‘arrogant rich,’ giving us the impression that those who are poor are righteous.  But this is because those who are rich depend only on their wealth and not on God.  Those who are poor, on the other hand, have nothing to look to; naturally, they depend on God with the purest intentions.

 However, this does not mean that the Bible blindly and unconditionally side with the poor.  The Bible clearly points out that those who are poor can also conduct unjust acts (see Proverbs 28: 3).  It also shows that they can sin and embarrass God’s name (see Proverbs 30: 8-9). 

 Then when Jesus talks of “poor in spirit,” what did He have in mind?  John Stott says the following.  “To be ‘poor in spirit’ is to acknowledge our spiritual poverty, indeed our spiritual bankruptcy, before God.  For we are sinners, under the holy wrath of God, and deserving nothing but the judgment of God.  We have nothing to offer, nothing to plead, nothing with which to buy the favor of heaven."

 As Stott pointed out, ‘to be poor in spirit’ means absolute poverty, or ‘abject poverty.’  Simply put, it is a state where one has nothing to eat, nothing to wear, nothing to give, nothing to receive almost like a vacuum state of mind.  We often “let go” of those cherished things in our hearts.  This empty yet liberated feeling is similar to this ‘abject poverty.’

 Such a person in this condition can look only to God, for his heart and mind is empty.  The New English Bible translates this condition rather well:  “Blessed are those who know their need of God.”  In that state, nothing can govern our hearts.  God is the only One that we need.  Only the living God can enter our hearts as the Master.  I believe that such people are the simple, naïve people.

 Then, more specifically, what kind of life does a spiritually poor, or simple hearted person, lead?

 First, he leads a life in which God is his Master.  Ones who lead complicated life have too many masters in his heart.  Wealth, fame, power, popularity, health, love, hobby, and host of other masters’ needs create a vast state of conflict and chaos in our hearts.  This often results in great worries and anxieties.  It leads to loss of freedom and lack of tranquillity.

 Let’s look at material greed as an example.  Jesus said the following in Luke 16: 13.  “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.”  We cannot lead simple lives if wealth becomes our idol and it fights with God in our hearts.  Things become complicated.  Our lives will fragment.  Endless greed will drive God out of our hearts.

 Only when God becomes the true Master of our lives, will we be able to empty our hearts and find peace and freedom.  Only then will we defeat avarice (greed).  It is because in that state, God allows internal unity and focus in our hearts.

 What did Jesus tell us in Matthew 6: 33?  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  The spiritually poor, the simple hearted always seeks the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  For such people, their center of gravity rests within God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.  Therefore, they can lead stable lives.  The focus of their interests and actions is on God’s Kingdom and His righteousness; therefore, they do not waver.  They are not affected by the amount of their wealth, the amount of fame they enjoy, and the amount of recognition they receive from other people.  Because God presides completely over their hearts, they only look to God to please.

 Second, he leads a life in which he views everything on earth as God’s gift.  The difference between a person with simple heart and the one with complex heart is their respective views regarding this world.  The one with simple heart views his wealth, power, fame, authority, occupation, family, abilities, health, and other such things as God’s gifts to him.  He looks upon the sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds, the air in the sky, the trees, the seas, the rivers, and all other natural wonders as God’s gifts to him.

  Because people fail to see these things as gifts of God’s blessings, they become greed.  They cannot escape the mindset that these things are their possessions things that they earned themselves.  They cannot suppress the endless desire for greed and possessions.  As a result, they fall into misery.  Like the ever-growing fingernails and hairs, their material greed is endless and it holds them prisoner.

 Those who view all possessions as God’s gift possess things only out of need.  They do not own things for the sake of owning things like showing off to their neighbors and friends.  When people buy cars and houses, they sometimes place greater consideration on showing off to others, rather than truly considering the needs of their family.  No two-person family needs a seven-bedroom house.  No commuter needs a luxury car that costs as much as some people’s houses.

 Most people only need few pairs of clothes at any given time; yet, why do so many people want to buy countless number of expensive outfits?  It is to show off to others.  It is to follow the latest fashion trend.  John Wesley once said the following.  “As for apparel, I buy the most lasting and, in general, the plainest I can.  I buy no furniture but what is necessary and cheap.”  Why did Wesley lead such a frugal and austere life?  Because he had the belief that things of this world are not his possessions.  Rather, he believed these things are items temporarily left in his care while he lived in this world.

 Third, he will lead a life of sharing his possessions with his neighbors.  Those who are poor in spirit, those who are simple, tend to get rid of things they do not need.  As their life span gets longer, they understand that their day to meet God is fast approaching.  As a result, the desire for owning things naturally decreases.  Therefore, they will get rid of thing they don’t need and share with their neighbors those items they deem as extravagant. 

 A teacher asked a little boy a question.  “If you have two apples, and I ask for one of them, how many apples will you have left?”  The boy answered without hesitating.  “Two!”  The boy did not screw up his math.  His attitude towards life, alas, is misguided.  At such an young age, he is already governed by the mantra, “What’s mine is mine!”  Jesus tells us in Matthew 10: 8, “Freely you have received, freely give.” 

 Nicholai Berdyaev said the following.  ‘The question of bread for myself is a material question, but the question of bread for my neighbor is a spiritual question.”  It is true.  When it is for my consumption, the bread is merely a material; yet, when I share it with my neighbor, that same bread becomes something very holy, something that is truly spiritual.

 The US population makes up only 6% of world’s population.  Yet, according to one statistic, Americans annually use 33% of the world’s energy.  Texans often joke, “A man can live without a wife, but a man cannot live without an air conditioner.”  The amount of energy used by air conditioners annually in the US matches the amount of all energy used annually in China.  The wealthy people of the US must now share some of their wealth with our poor neighbors throughout the world.  Only then will earth become healthy.  Only then will the world become peaceful.

 When people become simple as a result of being spiritually poor they will seek to share with their neighbors.  Through sharing one becomes more plentiful.  Hearts become wealthier when sharing.  Those who share will receive greater blessings than those who receive will.

 Those who are spiritually poor, those who are simple will receive the blessing of inheriting the heaven.  What does this mean?  In Hebrew, blessing is ‘Makarios,’ which means internal happiness that transgresses all ambient surroundings.  ‘Makarios’ is an eternal happiness that nothing can take away.

 The heaven is a place in which God rules, a place in which God’s intent is realized, a kingdom where God is the King.  This heaven is not some place, some Nirvana, where one is guaranteed to go after death.  If God rules this place, right here, and He is the King, then this place right here can be heaven.  Those with simple hearts will live in the Kingdom of God with its ruler.  Being in such a place is ‘Makarios,’ the eternal blessing.

​Are your hearts and minds complicated today?  Are they full of worries and anxieties?  If you answer yes, then it is because you have too many masters in your heart.  Make God your only Master.  And start looking at things around you, even those things you own, as God’ gift and not as some possessions.  And those things that you cannot take to your grave, share them with your neighbors.

Your spirit will become poor.  You will become simple, in a good sense.  Then you will, with our True Master, God, live in His Kingdom and receive His blessings.  I pray in the name of our Lord that ‘Makarios,’ the eternal blessing, will be with each and every one of you today. 

​Amen.