Let Others Bless You!

I have had some unexpected blessings this week! It’s had me thinking, “I wonder if these people have been listening to my pastor’s messages?” Just this past Sunday, Pastor Roger was encouraging the congregation to identify a person or group that we could bless this week. Then, he asked us to get specific with a plan of how to bless them with our time, expressions of comfort or encouragement, or in some monetary way.

A Welcoming Spirit!
image credit: vecteezy.com

My blessings started when a young adult lady insisted that she hold the door open for me to enter the coffee shop. I am usually accustomed to holding doors for others! I was delighted later when this same young lady helped me interpret what the barista was saying about my order. A day later, a second blessing involved Ms. Lori, the lady in charge of the laundromat. She grabbed my comforter and large blanket from the oversized dryers and insisted that she do the folding!

And a final blessing was given by Bob, a casual friend, who is the attendant at the big box store’s gasoline pumps. He first scolded me, “Where have you been?” I had to explain that I was trying to get back on my regular Thursday schedule. While I was making excuses, he grabbed my bank card and put it into the machine while sternly ordering me, “Select your grade!” Next, I looked up to see this very generous man grabbing food items from his large jacket with both hands: a banana, a small orange, and his customary gift of several breakfast bars!

I protested about all this attention and exclaimed, “What is this? Fresh fruit?” Bob replied, “Hey, I’m trying to serve you!” Why is it so hard to accept the blessing of others? I thought I learned this lesson years ago as a seminary student when Bro. Hadley, my pastor and mentoring friend would get right in my face after some act of generosity and say, “Just say thank you!”

The Bible does say, “It is more blessed to give than to receive!” (Acts 20:35), but there is a blessing in receiving, too! The writer of Proverbs offers this perspective about a giving spirit, “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” (Pr. 11:25, NLT). When I looked into the faces of my three “blessers” this week, I saw three smiling faces! They were being refreshed by their acts of kindness and generosity to me!

My pastor offered three other challenges about generosity in his Sunday message take-aways: set a 7 day goal to bless one person each day, break your plan down in actionable steps, share your plan with a close friend who will hold you accountable, and finally, trust God, because as every believer comes to know… you can’t out give Him!

This is Thanksgiving week! As we scurry about and welcome family and friends to join in our celebration, let’s put a smile on our faces! Give consideration to others and let others see that our generosity is simply a reflection of our loving and generous God. We sing, “Let others see Jesus in you!” That’s our motivation, because a generous and loving God gave His Son to save us! And He keeps on giving daily to “supply all of needs through His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!”

We are blessed! Let’s bless others as we have opportunity! But don’t forget to let others bless you, too! Thanks be to God!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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