Blessed to be a blessing

We are blessed to be a blessing. This is an idea that has been a part of God’s story since the beginning. From the start, God has blessed his people so that they could bless the world.

In Genesis 12, God goes to a man named Abram and makes a covenant with him. Here are the words of that covenant…

¹The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

                  ²“I will make you into a great nation,

                        and I will bless you;

            I will make your name great,

                        and you will be a blessing.

                  ³I will bless those who bless you,

                        and whoever curses you I will curse;

            and all peoples on earth

                        will be blessed through you.”

 

Notice that God does not tell Abram that he is blessing him because Abram is better than everyone else or because Abram is the strongest. God blessed Abram so that all people on earth would be blessed.

God’s purposes have not changed since then. In the New Testament we see the same idea continuing. As Jesus prepares to ascend back to the Father, Matthew records the following words that Jesus spoke to his followers…

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

In Luke’s telling of the story, we find Jesus saying...

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

God has always been in the business of blessing people so that they could turn around and bless others. We are meant to be his witnesses. Unfortunately, it seems as though many Christians, especially in our country, have fallen prey to the idea that God has blessed us for our sake. Some seem to believe that because we are a powerful nation, God owes us a blessing. And even if they don’t think that, some people appear to believe that we are better than everyone else because God has blessed us in a special way.

Are we a blessed people? I believe so. Are we blessed so that we can enjoy our blessings? Maybe. Is our blessing actually given to us so we can bless others? Absolutely! I believe that Scripture is clear that God blesses us so that we can be a blessing.

As you think about the blessings God had given you, are you enjoying them without using them for the purpose God intended? Are your blessings more about you than about God? Remember that God has blessed people since the beginning so they can bless others and so he can be glorified. Be a blessing because you have been blessed.

 

shine!
Jason