A Culture of the Un-Blessed

Today in Dr. Terry Wardle's class, Person in Prayer, we spoke about the idea of benediction. For those who didn't grow up religious or attended a church in which the term "benediction" wasn't used, let me define it. A benediction is the blessing spoken over a group of people, most often at church, and most often at the end of a church service. Throughout history, including biblical history, the idea of blessing was really important to families. Fathers would speak blessings over their children, most often their sons. And it was more than simply kind words. The idea was that the blessing of the father, in this culture, actually changed things. It actually help create a different future in the son than would have been if the blessing had not been spoken. Now we could chat about the many ways in which blessing, or the speaking of God's divine favor over someone impacts the individual... and there are many. Spiritual, psychological, and physically just to name a few. But the clearest example, and the one that God set in the book of Numbers to the Israelites is found in Numbers 6.

²² The LORD said to Moses, ²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁴ “‘“The LORD bless you
and keep you;
²⁵ the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’

But what Dr. Wardle was saying that we really should take the time to bless people whenever the opportunity arises. Even more, we should create opportunities to speak blessing over people. We all long for it. We all yearn to not simply be praised and applauded for our efforts, actions, or abilities, but to be blessed. What I mean is that a blessing speaks to who you are, but not only to who you are at that moment. A blessing speaks to who the person who is pronouncing the blessing sees you to be, or sees who you will be. In a Judeo-Christian blessing, it should be one step further, and this is an important step further. This type of blessing speaks to how God sees you as an individual and what future he sees for you. There are so many ways to take time to bless another person. In our culture, we don't see this.

But in our world we mostly encounter discouragement and cynicism with a possible dash of indifference. This is not blessing. This is the anithesis to blessing.

So today. Bless someone. Encourage someone. Take the time to get God's perspective on that person, and then share it with them. Let them know that they are doing a great job. Give that compliment that you have been resisting giving.

Like the famous sculpture and shoe company, Nike says, "Just do it."