Be A Blessing to Others

 I’m celebrating the anniversary of my very first blog post, which was posted on September 24, 2017! As I reread my original reason for writing this blog, it amazed me that it has not changed. I wrote- “Wouldn’t it be great if we could integrate God’s character into our own lives a bit better, and then pass that on –bless others– in our everyday interactions?” God pours Himself into us daily; how can we use those blessings to be a blessing to others?

Don’t let your busy life or lack of funds stop you from reading any further! Many of these ideas cost little or nothing and are simple to incorporate. You will see that you are already blessing others and find encouragement for your own heart in your efforts to spread the love of God.♥

But first…

What Does Bless Mean?

It has varied meanings-

We can use the word to ask God to care for someone; “bless your heart” or “God bless you.”

It can mean we have been comforted, strengthened, received material possessions, or a desire of our heart; “God blessed me with children.”

We see God giving His blessings throughout the Bible as a sign of special favor. He spoke 75 covenant (conditional promises made to His people) blessings in the Bible; this one to Abraham:

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you…” Genesis 12:2 NIV.

We Are Blessed 

What are blessings from God? We receive God’s blessing of a life of peace and fulfillment with Him through faith in Jesus- now and for eternity.

He also showers us with plentiful spiritual blessings: deep compassion, amazing love, kindness and grace, His forgiveness, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and His multitude of promises.

As we are blessed, we are meant to pass them on. Every blessing we have received from God, whether material or spiritual, is to be used for the benefit of others.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us we were created anew in Christ Jesus for a purpose: “to do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

That doesn’t mean blessing others will always come naturally to us. We live in a world that is filled with harshness, put-downs, greed, and a focus on “me”, not others. Our sinful nature makes it easy to get drawn into these voices instead of the voice of God.

So, before we go any further, let’s commit to looking at our world through the eyes of God. Allow the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and conviction to lead us towards using the mind and attitude of Christ which lives inside us!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16 NASB

Blessed to be a Blessing Scripture 

That covenant with Abraham I referenced earlier continues:

“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... and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2, 3b. NIV.

God promises to bless Abraham, but also to expand that blessing through Abraham to all people. When the Messiah came from Abraham’s family line, this blessing was fulfilled. This was one way Abraham was “blessed to be a blessing.”

The concept of “blessed to be a blessing” doesn’t stop with Abraham, however. It is an expectation from God that gives us our purpose.

He doesn’t expect His bountiful blessings to stop at our front door or within our hearts, but wants us to pass them on.

How to Bless Others 

We don’t have to look far to find the perfect example to emulate. Jesus focused His whole life on blessing others and had a compassionate heart for all.

He healed the sick, washed His disciple’s feet to model humility, and gave up His life as our ransom. We should focus our hearts and minds on loving as Jesus did.

Here are some ideas for blessing others:

•It helps to have the proper perspective.  The best way is to begin each day with a grateful heart for all the ways God has already blessed you.

The Jewish tradition, which Jesus would have followed, gave thanks throughout their day to help them see and acknowledge God in all things.  When we become aware of His many blessings, everything we do for Him is in appreciation for what He has done for (and will continue to do.)

Cultivating a spirit of gratitude changes our hearts and opens us up to the ways God wants to use us. It allows us to say with purpose and conviction, “Here I am Lord- use me!”

When we have the mindset of seeing everything in our lives through the lens of His love and care towards us, it changes our perspective.

“Fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:24 NIV.

Expressing gratitude in action is our response to the many blessings we receive.

Prayers and Blessings 

•There can be no better way to bless others than to pray for them. Jesus was in constant communication with His Father for His people.

•Begin by asking God to work through you so you can be a blessing in the lives of others for His glory. Pray for opportunities and to have His eyes of compassion.

•Offer to pray for others (believers or not) when they share a need. It shows you are listening to their concerns and thinking about them. Check in with them afterwards to show them they are still in your thoughts.

•Pray as you walk through your neighborhood, for those around you in the store, in school or at work and, of course, at home. Remember to pray for your pastor and your church.

•The Blessing Prayer  can be a comforting prayer for those in need: “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face towards you and give you peace.”–Numbers 6:22-27 NIV. (It’s also a beautiful verse to add to cards, texts, etc.♥)

•Pray for those who mistreat you and bless those who curse you. Yes, it’s right there in Luke 6:28  and Matthew 5:44. Jesus wasn’t talking about showing affection for them, but blessing them by showing respect, meeting their needs, and praying for them.

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Conviction of the Holy Spirit

•Listen for and be aware of the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When you feel led, act on it as soon as possible. Don’t let fear or doubt silence His promptings.

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 NIV.

•Showing kindness and hospitality to people we don’t know can take many forms- sit with someone who is by themselves, buy a lone diner their meal, buy a box of treats and leave them at your church office, nursing home, etc.

Pay for the person behind you in the drive thru lane. Be purposeful in meeting new neighbors and offer them your phone number.

•If the Holy Spirit brings someone to mind, let them know you are thinking of them. The Lord places people on our hearts for a reason.

If you awaken in the middle of the night with a burden for someone, pray immediately, and then let them know later.

•When we bless others, we are meeting a need. But to know these needs, we have to listen.

Ask how others are doing and then wait quietly and patiently for an answer. People are hungry for connections, especially now.

Blessings of Encouragement

•Blessing others (even to someone you don’t know) with encouraging words, a hello, a simple smile, a genuine compliment and extra patience can bless and brighten someone’s day.

Use the phrases “how can I help you/what do you need?” (instead of “let me know if there is anything I can do“) to show you are available and willing to help.

•Bless your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors with a letter, text, or email of encouragement or gratitude. It doesn’t have to be long or flowery. 

I have a friend who loves to receive (and send) cards.  Maybe they were especially helpful or kind- let them know you noticed.

Perhaps they celebrated a milestone in their lives or are trying to work through a decision. Encouraging words can be just the inspiration they need.

Morning Blessings

•Morning blessings are a simple way to share encouragement and let someone know you are thinking of them. They are available in my Resource Page under “Morning Blessings.”

Click on the image below and download them for free. Then pass them on via text or email.

It is More Blessed to Give Than to Receive 

“… we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35.

These words are a beautiful reminder of what Christian fellowship looks like.

When we give to others, we are sharing the love of Jesus. He blesses us and meets our needs; we can turn these into opportunities to give back to others.

Here are a few more ideas:

•Send gift cards for food delivery apps/restaurants to those in need. (My sister was recently on the receiving end of this kind of blessing; it was so appreciated!)

•When you are donating unused items, include something you like or enjoy. The sacrificial part of giving in this way reminds us not to store up treasure here on earth and that everything we have comes from God.

•Give the gift of time- offer to go grocery shopping, run errands, go for a walk, watch a movie or TV show with the elderly/ ill/lonely.

•Give with humility, without seeking recognition –Matthew 6:1-4.

Share your Faith 

•Tell others what God is doing in your life, how He has blessed you, the powerful ways you have seen Him work- in the good times and the bad. Offer to pray for them when they share a need.

•Write Bible verses on cards and place them in library books or borrowed magazines.

Paint rocks or shells with verses and leave them in public places (I came across a shell painted with Proverbs 3:5 in a National Park and it was exactly what I needed that day!) God can use our smallest blessings in mighty ways.♥

•Post a Bible verse, Christian quote, or faith-inspired article or video on your social media regularly. You can even invite people to attend your church, life group, Bible study, etc.

Bible Verses about Blessing Others 

There are so many Bible verses about blessing others, I put them in a printable form. You can access them on my Resource page by clicking on the image below (scroll down to Bible Verses.)

I put 6 of my favorite verses in Scripture card form- you can keep them to encourage yourself or print and give them away. (I also have more Scripture cards that would be perfect to tuck into the tangible gifts you give- meals, flowers, etc. ) Click on the image below and scroll down to Scripture Cards.

I also thought that you might like to put your own verses in Scripture cards to share with others, so I made these blank ones:

Understanding how God has blessed me all my life (even in times of trials and sorrows) has been a wonderful blessing!  His greatest gifts have been His loving presence, guidance, protection, my faith, and the hope of eternal life with Him.

These blessings aren’t exclusive to me. They are part of His plan to bless all people.

We are the instruments He uses to carry out this plan.  He’s counting on us to show His heart and purpose to the people that surround us and those we meet. We do that when we share our blessings!

How will you be a blessing today?

Who has God put on your heart to bless?

” ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”  Mathew 25:44-45 NIV.

Blessed to Be a Blessing!

AnnMarie

All Scripture is taken from the NIV unless specified otherwise.

Photo Credit: Deposit Photos, Canva