What Does It Actually Mean to Bless?

What Does It Actually Mean to Bless?

It means that I, in word and deed, clearly and profusely express all the good things I wish for a particular person and pray down on him. It means that I have a positive attitude toward the person, that I have faith and hope for him. It means that I impart goodness to him. It is to anoint and pour oil and balsam into his wounds. It is to serve and to do good, scattering good gifts. It is to forgive and forget, to requite evil with good, and to overlook other people’s mistakes.

To bless means to empty alabaster flasks of precious, genuine ointment over the heads and feet of your fellow men (Matt. 26:7-8), even to “waste” precious items on them.

To bless is the opposite of sparing and scrimping and skimping. It is to sacrifice anything to state unequivocally that you want the good for your fellow men.

It is to say, “God bless you”; “God bless you mightily now and forever so that rivers of living water will always flow from your life”; “God make you a great blessing for many people”; “God give you abundant fruit from your life,” etc., and then mean it with all of your fervent heart!

It is to be like Daniel exclaiming as soon as you see the person who has acted very badly against you, “O king, live forever!” Dan. 6:21.

The blessing with which Reuben was blessed was: “Let Reuben live, and never die . . . .” Deut. 33:6. More days of grace mean more opportunities to receive blessings and to bless others. Many more days of grace mean many new opportunities to bless. Therefore we have this expression: Live! Rightly understood, it is a great blessing.

Blessed friends! Let us pour out the blessings! We must not spare anything! Our fellow men need it.