In a society filled with relative ease, the words blessed and blessings seem to flit around like the glitter we’re dressed in at the moment.  Make a fast-food purchase, “Have a blessed day,” maybe with an added, “Honey.”  Buy that special prom dress, “You’re so blessed.  Have fun at your special party.”  While I’m sure most people are well-intentioned, what is a blessing and what does someone that is blessed look like?  If we don’t have new things, are we not blessed?  When we lose a close friend or family member, have we lost His blessing?

I have lived long enough now to experience joy, excitement, the beginning of new and lasting friendships as well as the ending of some beautiful and not so beautiful relationships.  I’ve also experienced loss of physical possessions and loss through death.  Through all of these experiences, what makes someone blessed if it’s not nice things or lack of loss?

For me, blessings have come to remind me of Jesus’ prayer to the Father as He was preparing to die.  He was concerned about the ones He was leaving behind, and He was praying that they were prepared for life without Him (John 17).  This starts with my kiddos.  It is my job to teach them about Christ and His Word through teaching them the Bible and being a living example.  Every time I see them choose to show patience and kindness with someone, I count that as a blessing, especially when it’s between the two of them.  When they don’t complain and murmur, I count that as a blessing, not because of me, but because God has entered into their lives.  When they choose to give something they have out of concern for someone else, that is a blessing.

I’m not responsible for the rest of my family in the same manner of teaching and training, but I am, as a Christian, expected to show Christ’s love as often as I am able so that, I can let my light shine before others as a living testimony (Mathew 5:16).  This doesn’t mean that I’ll always be there with a smile and happy dance. If they’re grieving, I may only be able to offer a hug, and as we walk forward, show them how to grieve with purpose (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).  Every time I see one of them choose Christ’s purpose over their own suffering, I count it as a blessing.

So, talking about our blessings takes on a whole new perspective for me.  When someone tells me to have a blessed day, I’m going to use it as a reminder to be a light and take care of the people in my life, because our blessings aren’t the sparkly things that will rot away (Matthew 6:19-21).  Our blessings are the moments that we share Christ’s love and the moments we see that being passed on in someone else’s life, because this world will be irrelevant to us the moment we die.  But these sparks of truth spoken into someone’s life when they’re struggling will live on in them so that they can continue to spread it and be a living witness (Acts 1:8).  These are the true blessings, knowing in whom we believe (2 Timothy 1:12).

– Written by Kati

Meet the authors.
Listen to us discuss our blogs on our YouTube channel.