Have You Been Blessing Others?

I will never forget the life-changing service.

It was December 2019, in the final days of 2019, the year that Jesus had set me free from the powers of darkness, aged 41 years young.

I had been Baptised around 6 months.

Leading up to my Baptism on June 16th 2019, following me having my very own Damascus Road experience in April that year, for the 1st time in my life I had started to pray for my immediate and extended family.

At the time of me going from no faith to total faith in April 2019, none of my family, none of my wife’s family, none of our friends and none of my team at my 15 person digital agency were Baptised, Born-Again and filled with the Holy Spirit.

There were many people in my life that I was now praying for, during the 2nd half of 2019. For many I would overlay a piece of Scripture on a photo I had of them, as my way of declaring the Living Word of God over them.

Then came THAT service that changed my life.

I had been attending a Pentecostal church since around August 2019, a few months after my Baptism. I had shed many tears, particularly during the Worship, as I was continually having my mind renewed by the Holy Spirit.

On this particularly Sunday service, I arrived just before Pastor Michelle was about to begin ministering the Word.

I was stood at the back.

On the 2 projector screens at the front was the same title slide for the message:

“FROM BLESSED TO BLESSING”

Pastor Michelle started to minister.

I will never forget her words and the depth of conviction that came upon me, when my sister Michelle said:

“So, we know we are all blessed. God is continually blessing us, all the time. But have you been blessing others?

Have you been blessing people you don’t know in your day-to-day life?”

No and No.

It was like a veil was suddenly being lifted off me.

A veil that had kept me focussed completely on ONLY my own needs, my own family, my own friends, my own colleagues, since Jesus had saved me.

In my day-to-day life it it like I had been wearing blinkers to the outside world, to other people.

Not only had I not been paying any particular attention to other people I had seen in my day-to-day life, I had had absolutely zero desire or intention to bless complete strangers.

It is like I was living in my own Christian bubble, keeping my faith to myself in day-to-day life.

“Have you been blessing people you don’t know in your day-to-day life?”

The speed at which the Holy Spirit convicted me was Divine (after all as Christians we are to “Freely give as we have freely received” Matthew 10:8) - and during the rest of the service I decided that I was going to being saying “God bless you” to complete strangers in my day-to-day life.

How hard is that?

It isn’t hard at all.

3 words.

Saying 3 words to complete strangers.

Freely giving as we have freely received.

After the service I decided to go to a familiar supermarket ALDI in Nantwich, and I made the decision to say “God bless you” to whoever would be serving me.

I picked my few items then headed to the checkouts.

I decided to go to a till with a women serving, maybe in her 50s.

She was friendly, as you would expect, and we smiled at each other when she started scanning my items.

In the process of her scanning, I was preparing to say “God bless you” to her whilst I was paying.

The time came.

I got my card out (I wasn’t yet using my phone) to pay.

I looked at the women, and smiling I said “God bless you” to her.

On hearing this she instinctively put one of her hands on her heart, and smiling she said “Aww thank you, bless you too!”

Oh how we were both blessed in that moment!

This is it!!! Blessing other people in my day-to-life, including at the supermarket checkout! Simple!!

3 words!!

“God bless you!” (with a genuine smile to show you are being sincere of course)

After a few more words with the checkout lady, I headed out of the supermarket, looking for whom I was going to bless next.

I saw a man walking towards the entrance across the car park.

I got his attention by saying “Hello”, then when he looked at me, smiling joyfully I said to him “God bless you!”

He wasn’t happy.

He wasn’t interested.

His face showed it.

He carried on walking, muttering something about me, likely about “religion”.

I recall thinking to myself “Oh well, it wasn’t his time. Who can I bless next?”

As I reflect back on this life-changing day, I thank God than in those first 2 encounters of blessing other people in my day-to-day life, 1 person was open, 1 person was closed - and God was teaching me to NEVER, EVER let anyone dampen my spirit and make me think that it is not worth blessing people in my day-to-day life, wherever I go.

As Jesus said to His 1st disciples:

What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.

Luke 6:22-23

So, have you, my fellow follower of Jesus, been blessing other people in your day-to-day life?

If not, there is absolutely nothing stopping you.

You can start tomorrow.

Or even today, depending on the time you are reading this.

3 words, with a genuine smile.

“God bless you!”

And remember, you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you.

Also remember, God hasn’t given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, a spirit of love and a spirit of a sound mind.

Bless you!

I love you!

The harvest is ready.

The harvest is everywhere.