Blessing Others

In First Kings 17 we read the story of the prophet of Elijah in a time of drought. Poor Elijah was exhausted,hungry,and terribly unappreciated by the rulers of the land. In the midst of famine, the Lord directed him to a woman who would supposedly give him food to eat and a place to stay. When Elijah arrived, the woman was gathering wood to build a fire over which she and her son were planning to cook their last meal. She told the prophet that she had only a little oil and flour left, certainly not enough to feed a guest and her small family. Elijah assured her that if she would just prepare what little she had all would be taken care of and she would not be in need. The little lady took him at his word (having more faith that I might have!)and got to work. Sure enough, the flour and oil did not run out and many, many more meals were prepared for Elijah and the family.

And then the woman's son died. She was distraught and cried out asking, "Why did this happen? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?" Elijah gathered the boy in his arms, laid him on a bed, and cried out to the Lord. And guess what? The boy took a deep breath and came back to life. The woman gave great credit to Elijah and his status as a man of God. I tend to think that it was not just Elijah's godliness and heartfelt prayer that contributed to this boy's life being restored. I believe that the woman's faithfulness to give regardless of her own circumstances played a role.

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25

Family friends recently experienced the return of blessings. They are living in a far away state surrounded by a new job, new friends, and a new church. When the mother underwent major surgery this past week, she was incredibly blessed by those new friends who reached out in big ways to care for her home and family. I know that one reason her family is being showered with love is in part due to the huge blessing they have been to so many others in their new state as well as back East.

Obviously, we are to bless others with no expectation of what we can get in return from them. There is, however, the promise of being refreshed when we refresh others. Sometimes that refreshing might come in real time, but it also could be something we must wait to receive in heaven. Either way, we have the promise! Look around and see if you are taking opportunities to bless others in whatever way possible, knowing that you will also receive the blessing of a heart like Jesus'.

Prayer:
Father, help me to see the needs of those around me and act upon them in whatever way I can. Thank you for the promise of refreshment, a heart filled with peace and joy, when I reach out and serve others in Your name. Amen.

Challenge:
There is always someone who simply needs a hug or a note in the mail. Besides the obvious meal making for those recovering from surgery or birth, you could look for unexpected ways to minister to others. Leaving the quarter in the cart at Aldi's, letting the guy behind you take the closest parking spot, or picking up the garbage someone else threw on the sidewalk. Blessings do not have to be huge to be counted!

Jen 2010