Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)

It appears that it is the exact same people who are poor in spirit and who are persecuted for righteousness sake. Jesus said of them: "…for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven". Either it belongs to the persecuted or the poor in spirit – unless they are one and the same people! Then it belongs to both groups!

Most people are poor in spirit, in a sense, without knowing it, considering that "poor in spirit" means that a person is spiritually inadequate. It is obvious that Jesus didn't teach that people who are spiritually inadequate will own the Kingdom of Heaven, so let's take the thought one step further;

The poor in spirit who knows they are poor in spirit, will not own the kingdom either. Spiritual poverty is not a position of strength in any sense, unless the realization of this spiritual poverty leads to some kind of action. Doesn't it make sense that the Kingdom of Heaven will be filled with people who were once poor in spirit, but who saw this spiritual inadequacy with great sorrow, and decided to do something about it? Doesn't it make sense that the Kingdom of Heaven is filled with people who are spiritually rich? How can the poor in spirit become spiritually rich?

There is only one way to become rich in spirit, and that is to turn ones life over to Christ. So, doesn't it make sense that Jesus might have said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven"?

The once poor in spirit will in Christ become a spiritual giant. Isn't it spiritual giants who will be persecuted for righteousness sake, and yet remain strong in the Kingdom of God on the earth? Such gigantic spiritual men and women will sometimes become the targets of people of a wicked world, but it will not face them. Just as it sometimes lead the prophets of old to death, so it might do today, and perhaps even more so tomorrow, for a dark and promiscuous world will be blinded by light of the once poor in spirit, who came unto Christ, and it will enrage some. But as we stand steadfast in the ownership of the Kingdom of God on the earth, death is but the door to the ownership of the Kingdom of God in a place where none shall come to hurt, nor make afraid.