Blessings

For our American readers, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and as the name states, it is a time to give thanks. During this season, we often reflect on the past few months and see how we have been blessed. We are thankful for another year with loved ones, thankful for the jobs we have, thankful for the situations that we had. In doing so, often thank God that He has provided for us as He has in this past year. While this is a very good thing to do, I want to ask you all to reflect on how you have been over the year and see if there is a change that you can make. With the end of the year approaching, I ask you to see how you can bless others.

  Jesus gives us our example in how we should be.

“The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him….When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?”he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

John 13:2-17

 If the Son of God could kneel before His disciples and serve them, then we should be serving those around us as well. As Christians we should not simply be focused on the blessings that we have received, but we should be blessing those around us. This can be a simple act such as removing the snow from a neighbors sidewalk, volunteering to bring a meal to a family who is sick, help with a ministry in the church. Or we could be doing larger acts such as funding a missionary.

  We are children of God, and as such we are blessed with having eternal life. However, this does not make us better than those around us. When we come along side others and serve them, we show them Christ and how He served His disciples. In doing so, we open the door to conversations that can bring someone to know Christ or give someone a deeper understanding of God. We should have a servant’s heart, because Christ demonstrated a servant’s heart and when we replicate Christ’s actions we are able to thoroughly share how we have been blessed by Jesus. When we serve cheerfully with a giving heart and not out of a commitment, we show the world the peace that comes from following Christ.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex