Blessed to be a Blessing

That phrase has been challenging me a bit for the last few days. I think I heard my pastor use it this past Sunday while discussing the Church and social justice. I don't know about you, but I confess that in my mind at times I've wondered what I might do if I were to somehow strike it rich one day. You hear all these stories about people who win ridiculous amounts of money through the Powerball lottery or some other means and then blow it all on the most meaningless expenses, spending just to spend. It's easy whenever you hear something like that to think of how you would use that money so much differently.

We tell ourselves that we'd give so much to charities and to fight hunger, disease, and injustice around the world and maybe we would. What we don't realize or fail to acknowledge is that the way we handle our money now is probably how we'd handle it if we had millions of dollars more. How often do we make smaller unneccesary purchases to spoil ourselves and then find a way to justify it? How often do we neglect to give to these same social causes like hunger, and disease on the smaller scale we can afford because we think we don't have the means? And what about our time, what about our efforts? When do we make the sacrifice needed to get involved? It seems foolish to think that someone who doesn't realize the manifold blessings he already posseses would somehow use them differently if his blessings were to increase. Such a one would still be operating from the same foundation, namely a sinfully self-absorbed heart bent on self-worship and self-gratification.

May the Lord open our eyes and burden our heart to the ways He has already richly blessed us. May we, no matter what the scale of our means might be, consider His blessings and consider those to whom we might be a blessing. May He continue to transform our sinful heart and conform us to the image of His Son, that His name might be great and that His kingdom increased.