The Beauty of Blessing
Jesus 'launched' new virtues to the world, He called these 'blessings'. Men named them The Beatitudes. This teaching opened His Sermon on the Mount.
Max Lucado calls this the 'beauty of blessing':
The Brazilians taught me the beauty of a blessing.
Here is a scene repeated in Brazil thousands of times daily. It’s early morning. Time for young Marcos to leave for school. As he gathers his books and heads for the door, he pauses by his father’s chair. He searches his father’s face.
Bencao, Pai? Marcos asks. (Blessing, Father?) The father raises his hand. Deus te abençoe, meufliho, he assures. (God bless you, my son.) Marcos smiles and hurries out the door.
Father and child part for the day, a blessing requested, a blessing willingly given. The son seeks his father’s favor as he begins his day. We should do the same. Like the child longing for the father’s favor, each of us needs a daily reminder of our heavenly Father’s love. When I returned to the United States from Brazil, I began the practice of pronouncing a blessing on our church at the end of each service. It was my way of praying for them in their presence.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
The Last Word:
There is blessing as you too seek your Father’s face. Don't leave home without it.