Blessed to Be a Blessing

Read: Genesis 12:1-9

I will bless you . . . so that you will be a blessing. (v. 2)

So far we have learned that Christian spiritual formation is “the process of being conformed into the image of Christ, through a relationship of intimacy with God, by the power of the Spirit, in order to live a good and beautiful life of faith, hope, love, joy, and peace . . .” The definition up to this point says that becoming like Jesus through an intimate relationship with God powered by the Holy Spirit leads to a grace-filled life.

However, the biblical story is not only about finding a good and beautiful life for ourselves but also about sharing that life with others. So we add the phrase “a life that will be a blessing to oneself and to others” to our definition. As God blessed Abraham to be a blessing, so our journey of spiritual formation is for the sake of others!

This concept is not always recognized by churches or by the world looking at churches. The focus of each disciple and the church as a body is to share the love of Jesus with others. However, that can’t happen if the love of Jesus doesn’t live within us. We can’t bring to another what we don’t have ourselves. The old description of a Christian being one beggar showing another beggar where to find bread doesn’t work if the first beggar hasn’t found the bread for himself. “Come and see” was only spoken by the disciples after they had met Jesus personally. —Karen Bables

As you pray, ask God to give you your daily bread.