Every day we bless our life and people around us. We receive
and give blessing. Blessing is subject of life; it is action of life; and it is
object of life. It means that blessing is blessing. We receive blessing because
we see it as a crucial and beneficial for our life. We live because of blessing
and life is blessing. We give blessing because it give life and nourishment for
others. But the questions of how we get blessing, of how we can easily
recognize blessing in our life, of how we see it as a blessing, and of how we
discover blessing in life, are necessarily compelling us to answer.
I always amaze of the response “I am blessed” of people who
are asked “How are you?” as I try to argue and ask them of “what they mean by
saying: I am blessed”. I wonder if their response is just a lips-talk only. Or
maybe they really encounter blessings, such as still being alive, being in
friendship, being in the state of okay physically, emotionally, and
spiritually, or just having some good news of the day. But what is blessing? Is
blessing always positive? Does blessing create happiness? Could work hard and
hard life, and sufferings be a blessing? How do we see it?
People say that the truth is universal and exists but we
approach and see it in different ways. So
is this statement true? Maybe. If so, the notion of blessing is universal,
which is “blessing is blessing” and NOT “suffering is blessing”. However, we notice
that we, each individual, have a way of seeing and judging a blessing depends
of his/her paradigm of understanding of blessing. One will see from material
point of view while other will see in the deeper sense from emotional state of blessing.
One will point out blessing in disguise while other will see undisguised-
beneficial blessing.
There is a classical story/parable about a missed blessing,
which we can learn and think of a blessing. There was a man in big trouble as
the ship he was sailed had a fire. The passengers were trying to safe their
life by listening to the instruction of the captain to wear life jacket and
jump on small boat. However, this man didn’t do anything. He waited and prayed
to God saying, ”I have my faith that God will save me”. Some rescuers come and
tried to beg him to jump because they are waiting on the boat but he still
stayed with his conviction that God would helped him and only God.
Other helicopter coast-guard came and dropped
the rope so he can hang on and tried to beg him but he refused saying “I have
my faith in God who will rescue me”. Finally he died. Now as he approached gate
of heaven, he met St. Peter and asked him “Why God didn’t come to his rescue?
Peter then said “God sent people to tell you to jump but you refused; the
rescuers asked you to jump on the water but you also refused; finally helicopter
rescuer came telling you to climb by the rope but you refused. So now here you
are. Don’t complain.”
Our expected kind of blessing, sometimes, cannot be found.
We think of blessing that comes like a blasting boom and like a thunder, but it
arrives like a gentle breeze; we hope to see blessing like a magic trick but it
comes like a natural growth; and we want to see blessing like a super
natural-heavenly voice but it comes like a normal human voice. So our
expectation of blessing, sometimes, confuses us and surprise us. How do we know
this kind of help is a blessing? Can a blessing be identified with feeling
okay, happiness, and excitement? Only can we use our senses, wisdom, and
experiences to judge that kind of kindness/gift as a blessing.
As a believer in God we may see that God is our blessing.
God is the source and summit of my blessing; with God is our life; in God is
our future; and from God is my happiness. This believe bases on one’s life upon
God. Everything, good and bad, low and high, is encountered as blessings. The person
sees that doing the will of God, even to sacrifice one’s self, is the blessing.
We can see the grand example of this in Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His life,
suffered and died on the cross. This grand example of blessing is contrary to
our human understanding and believe. Christians, then, crave this example in
their hearts by believing that blessing can be experience in suffering and
dying. I remember the sermon of Jesus about those who are blessed (Beatitudes)
in Gospel of Matthew 5:3-12). He said, “
Blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed
are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for
they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful,
for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the
pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you
when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against
you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.”
Thus, blessing is clearly connected to the
mourner, the meek, the hungry and thirsty, the merciful, the peace makers, and the
persecuted, but with their great reward in heaven. Blessing is seen, not in now
life but for the future greater reward. In Christianity, the greatest blessing
is spiritual blessing from God and the reward will be with God in heaven. Do you
want to go to heaven? See that there is greater blessing in our daily struggle for
life, when things are not according to our plan but we never give up life
because we have the ultimate blessing, that is, GOD.
Finally, if God is our ultimate blessing, which is offered
to us freely, we must give freely this blessing by our life service and our
commitment to the humanity and the world, by which God has trusted them to our
cares. So be the blessing for the world and humanity.
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