Probably because of the individualistic culture that we live in, but it is not infrequent that I meet a Christian who thinks about his or her Christian life in individualistic terms. Yes, your forgiveness of sins and receiving Christ are important. But there’s more to your Christian life than this. In other words, the act of God saving you is not solely for your benefit. Your salvation is not just for you. You are blessed to be a blessing.
Blessed to be a Blessing
In the book of Genesis, God blesses Abraham (Genesis 12). He starts a covenant with him, which has implications throughout the entire Bible. Part of the reason why God blesses Abraham is so that he will, in turn, bless others (Genesis 12:2). You are not Abraham. Don’t oversee yourself in the story. But this Abrahamic calling and covenant are undoubtedly a key theme in Scripture. He is blessed to be a blessing.
In some ways, what is true of Abraham is also true of you. If you are a Christian, you are called to be a blessing to others, not merely to hog all of the benefits of salvation for yourself.
We are so prone to think of our Christian walk in individualistic ways, aren’t we? We do our devotions, we go to church, we spend time with family, we interact with other Christians, and we work our jobs. No doubt, these are all blessings from God that should be enjoyed. There is a beauty in the ordinary. We shouldn’t expect every day to be a radical day. But because you have been blessed by Christ, the way you interact act with the ordinary and all other areas of your life should be distinctly marked by a desire to bless others. You are blessed to be a blessing — not to earn God’s love, but because you already have it.
Unconventional Ways to be a Blessing
So, how can you be a blessing to others? You know the obvious things like love people, evangelize, encourage people at church, etc. But here are some ways to be a blessing that some may overlook.
Creation of stewardship
One of the ways that you can be a blessing to others is by stewarding creational things properly. God cares about his creation. God loves his creation and part of God’s overarching mission is to renew and redeem all of creation. Get on board with God’s mission. Care and properly steward creation.
Practically speaking, this means that things like recycling and earth day matter. It’s a common misconception to think that God is going to annihilate his creation when Jesus returns. We tend to think that we should only focus on treatures in heaven and not be concerned too much with things here on earth. But biblical eschatology teaches us that God is not going to get rid of his creation, but renew and restore it. Part of creation will endure into the New Heavens and New Earth. It will be transformed by God, but when you steward it well now, you participate in God’s mission of the restoration of all things.
Many scholars believe that the word “new” in Revelation 21:1 does not mean “brand new” as in starting from scratch, but rather means transformation or purification. God is not going to start from scratch, but renew what has been distorted by sin.
Fight for Justice and Peace and Unity
Bring some of the foretastes of the Kingdom of God to where you live or work. When we do this, we reflect God’s glory.
Examples include:
- Working with schools in your city to bless students and help bring peace, unity, and love to the city (or suburb or rural area or wherever).
- Fighting for the unborn by protesting abortion clinics.
- Working with city officials and local government.
- Bringing businesses and non-profit organizations together to fight for a noble cause.
And on and on you can go.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is this: evangelism is not the only way you can bless others. You can be a blessing to others by loving what God loves and reflecting his glory as you participate in organizations and activities you like that are seeking to do good and reflect God’s character in some way.
Out of the abundance you’ve been given, you should seek to give to others. While evangelism will always remain crucial, there are many ways to bless others. I hope you feel encouraged to do so.
You may also like:
- Five Common Misconceptions of Heaven and the Afterlife
- Some Things to Consider When You Consider Your Calling
