Empowered to Bless

Proverbs 3: 27
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.

Empowered to Bless

When we were young in our marriage there was a time that we really needed a car.  During that time that we were praying and believing the Lord to meet this need in our lives the Lord impressed upon Sharon’s heart that we were going to receive help from certain relatives.  Sure enough, one-day they called us and asked how much money we had to buy a car.  I don’t remember exactly what we had at the time, maybe around $700, but they said they wanted to give us in the neighborhood of $2000 to help us out.  At first we treated this gift as a loan, but then they said no, it’s not that kind of a deal, we want to give you this money and they quoted this scripture as the basis for their giving to us.  Their obedience was such a blessing to us and enabled us to get a good car for our needs.  Now they weren’t rich and they didn’t have money in excess, but they were obedient to do what the Holy Spirit was impressing upon their hearts.  They were God’s blessing to us.
So many times we may hold on to things or withhold our abilities to serve and bless when it is within our power to do so.  I believe that God wants to empower us to bless.  It may not even be with money; it may be with our talents, our abilities, our support and encouragement or any number of ways that we may be able to meet the needs in one another.
Ecclesiastes 11:6 says, “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”  Our purpose is to always be sowing into the lives of others in the ways that we can.  God is a giver and He is one who is continually blessing even when it isn’t deserved.  As the instruments of His love and blessing let us take up this exhortation to not withhold good to those who deserve it when it is in our power to give it.  I think Jesus would have us to go a step further and even give to those who don’t deserve it that we might demonstrate His magnificent love and grace.  Let us be the blessing that God has commissioned us and empowered us to be.

Blessings,

kent