‘Blessed to be a Blessing’

7/17/2018

I Was Thinking…

I remember the first time I heard it. I was stunned, but in a very good way. I had finished the phone conversation when she said as we were about to say ‘good bye’, “Be Blessed!” All I knew to say in that brief moment was “Thank You!” That phrase “Be Blessed!” stuck in my mind and penetrated my thoughts for the rest of that day. What a gift she gave me…a blessing.

I have since heard that response on several occasions and it is still wonderful to hear and receive. And like any phrase, I’m sure it could become a cliché. But there is something powerful in receiving a blessing. When Jesus invited the children forward to sit in his lap, the scripture says “He blessed them”. What a moment! I wonder who some of those children turned out to be? Did his blessing on that day make a difference in their lives? I have to think it must have made a huge difference.

Receiving a blessing is probably like a lot of things in life. We’re not really sure how it works. But yet, we somehow think it must make a difference because after all, it is a blessing. As a Pastor I have blessed many things in the name of Jesus throughout the years. I believe it makes a difference. I have blessed places of business, homes, new members who join a church, animals, marriages, the newly ordained clergy, the suffering and sick, the confused, the imprisoned, the broken, the depressed, the grieving, the addicted, the angry, the disabled and the lost. It is quite an honor to be an instrument of blessing. The idea that the energy and love of God can flow through you to someone or something else is beyond explanation. You might say that “It is a blessing!”

How does God bless the world these days? Well, despite our imperfections, God blesses the world in large and inspiring ways through the church—through you and me. God said to Abraham in Genesis 2, “I will make you a great nation. I will bless you to be a blessing”. God is making us a great church, my friends. Why is God blessing the Church…the imperfect, chaotic church? God is blessing the Church so that we can be a blessing. I am proud to be among the blessed.

I happen to believe that the chaos of the world, the nation, our state, our church, our life is crying out for ‘blessing’. And not the kind of blessing we may originally think. When you and I open ourselves up to be a vessel for blessing it becomes an amazing experience that is life giving to the vessel as well. This should be of no surprise for the author of Acts sought to teach us this centuries ago when he quoted Jesus to have said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (20:35).

Thanks for being ‘blessed’ to be a blessing!

Always Thinking…