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I will try to keep this short, but these are some thoughts of mine that a recent sermon has me thinking. Would love to hear what your thoughts are 
Your new job. Of course, that's a blessing. Your 3,500 square foot house. Yes, that is a blessing, too. Your brand new car. Well, praise God, you are blessed! What about the 60 hours a week you have to work? Or that $2,000 mortgage payment? And is that $40,000 car causing more stress than relief when you write the dealer a check each month? I am going to go out on a limb and say that we may be slightly confused about what it means to be blessed.
What do you consider a blessing in your life? How would you even define what a blessing is, or what it means to be blessed, or how can someone be a blessing to another? Consider the words of Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit... Blessed are those who mourn... Blessed are the meek... Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... Blessed are the merciful... Blessed are the pure in heart... Blessed are the peacemakers...Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness... Blessed are you when people insult you" (Matthew 5, NIV).
How has it come to be that we are considered blessed based on what we have accumulated on the outside? The wealthiest and most comfortable people are who we look at and call blessed. We aren't blessed because we have a big house to host our friends. We are blessed when we are mourning. We are blessed if we are pure in heart and seeking righteousness. One can certainly be grateful for the roof over their head or the transportation they have to get from point A to point B. But if you have become a slave to maintaining the house and car, where is the blessing in that? Where is the joy in that?
A wealthy man was once told to sell everything he owned to be part of the kingdom of God. He walked away disappointed. He did not hunger and thirst for righteousness, rather he was concerned with the accumulation of outer things. It is easy to allow ourselves to get caught up in the dream of having the easiest, most comfortable life with the trendiest clothes and updated electronics. We will ultimately fall short of being truly blessed, though, if we lose sight of being peacemakers marked by meekness and righteousness.
May we pray for and seek pure hearts, so that we can better understand what it means to be blessed, to receive a blessing, and to be a blessing to those around us.
Your new job. Of course, that's a blessing. Your 3,500 square foot house. Yes, that is a blessing, too. Your brand new car. Well, praise God, you are blessed! What about the 60 hours a week you have to work? Or that $2,000 mortgage payment? And is that $40,000 car causing more stress than relief when you write the dealer a check each month? I am going to go out on a limb and say that we may be slightly confused about what it means to be blessed.
What do you consider a blessing in your life? How would you even define what a blessing is, or what it means to be blessed, or how can someone be a blessing to another? Consider the words of Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit... Blessed are those who mourn... Blessed are the meek... Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... Blessed are the merciful... Blessed are the pure in heart... Blessed are the peacemakers...Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness... Blessed are you when people insult you" (Matthew 5, NIV).
How has it come to be that we are considered blessed based on what we have accumulated on the outside? The wealthiest and most comfortable people are who we look at and call blessed. We aren't blessed because we have a big house to host our friends. We are blessed when we are mourning. We are blessed if we are pure in heart and seeking righteousness. One can certainly be grateful for the roof over their head or the transportation they have to get from point A to point B. But if you have become a slave to maintaining the house and car, where is the blessing in that? Where is the joy in that?
A wealthy man was once told to sell everything he owned to be part of the kingdom of God. He walked away disappointed. He did not hunger and thirst for righteousness, rather he was concerned with the accumulation of outer things. It is easy to allow ourselves to get caught up in the dream of having the easiest, most comfortable life with the trendiest clothes and updated electronics. We will ultimately fall short of being truly blessed, though, if we lose sight of being peacemakers marked by meekness and righteousness.
May we pray for and seek pure hearts, so that we can better understand what it means to be blessed, to receive a blessing, and to be a blessing to those around us.