“Blessed are the poor in spirit,” that is, the “poor in pride, [but] humble in spirit” (Matthew 5:3, footnote b). The Nephite record makes a significant addition: “Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me” (emphasis added). We are willing to be dependent on our Savior.
In fact, all of the Beatitudes may be read more profitably by inserting the phrase “who come unto me,” for in truth that is the implication in all of them (those who mourn who come unto me, the meek who come unto me, the peacemakers who come unto me, and so forth). We are dependent on Jesus for exaltation and lasting happiness.
We must be willing to be dependent on our Savior. Here in mortality we are nothing of ourselves (Mosiah 4:11). Recognizing our nothingness should lead not to hopelessness but to willing dependence on the only Person in the universe who can rescue us from our fallen condition. The nothingness we refer to here is our incapacity and helplessness to get ourselves out of this fallen, mortal condition; we are not suggesting that we are worthless—nothingness is not worthlessness—because we know each soul is worth a great deal in the sight of God.
The opposite of dependence is pride, which always drives us away from God. When we feel independent, we may think we don’t need God. Doctrine and Covenants 56:18 tells us, “Blessed are the poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and whose spirits are contrite, for they shall see the kingdom of God coming in power and great glory unto their deliverance.”
An example of those who are poor or humble in spirit but pure in heart is the people who hearkened to King Benjamin: “They had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mosiah 4:2).
Other examples of those with clean and pure hearts are the men we sustain today as prophets, seers, and revelators.