Senior School

Blessed are those who bless others

Here were again, though it happens every year, we are nonetheless surprised when December creeps up on us yet again. When you look back and reflect on the year that was, look past all the tests and exams, excursions, incursions, teacher meetings, school events, detentions (for some), performances, assemblies, and holidays; do you see a glass that is half empty or one that is half full? Do you dwell on how you may have been wronged by others, or do you look to how you may bless those who are in your midst?

I noted earlier in the year that James 1:17 tells us that every perfect gift is from God, to see only the trials and troubles, to forget what is good, is to forget God. When we forget God, we are not able to see how and when He has blessed us, and so are unable to bless others in turn.

My grandfather is a man who keeps a great store of musings, sayings, and proverbs at hand. Much to my chagrin, he has a favourite one that he shares without fail whenever I start complaining about things, ‘There is no greater crime in the desert than to know where to find water and not to tell anyone.’ Now, what does that have to do with blessing others as we are blessed by God?

2 Kings 7 gives us a fascinating insight into the lives of four lepers who sat at the gate of a Samarian city at a time when it was under siege. It is important to note that the life of a leper was particularly harsh as they were regarded as unclean. They were cut off from the community, shut away and even shut out of the city. They were cast aside and largely ignored by others, there were lower than the stray dogs that were free to roam the streets.

Circumstances weren’t any better for the people inside the city at the time of this story, things were so dire, and people were so hungry, that many had resorted to unspeakable acts in order to survive. Amidst all this trial and tribulation, the prophet Elisha was sent by God to share and prophesy to the people within the city that food would be plentiful and affordable in Samaria the very next day.

How many of you would listen with an open mind and heart, waiting for God’s blessing and how many of you would scoff, forgetting that in all things, God is good?

Outside the walls, the four lepers were left to consider their dismal situation. They reasoned that if they remained in their spot at the city gates, they would surely starve to death. If they dared to go over to the enemy camp, they would likely be killed. Their situation was so bad that they even considered a quick death at the hands of their enemies might be preferable to slowly starving to death.

After running through their few and increasingly dismal options, they decided that there was a slim, outside chance that the enemy would take pity on them and give them some scraps of food. So, they took their chances and braved the journey to the enemy camp.

When they arrived at the enemy camp, they found that it had been deserted. Unbeknownst to the lepers and the people trapped within the city, the Lord had caused the enemy to hear the sound of a great army of chariots and horses which caused them to flee in a panic, leaving all of their supplies behind. The four lepers ate their fill and hauled away and hid several loads of silver and gold and clothes, all the while forgetting the people who were still trapped inside the city.

The pondered why they should help them. They were cast aside, ignored, shut out of the city, they didn’t owe them anything. But God began to stir their hearts and their conscience began to gnaw at them. They said, “We’re not doing right. This is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent” (2 Kings 7:9). They went and told the starving city where they could find abundant supplies to satisfy their needs fulfilling God’s promise that food would soon be in abundance within the city.

In Zechariah 8, we are promised that: ‘[God] will save you that you may become a blessing.’ God’s people are blessed and are charged with being a blessing to others. God pours out His grace on us so that we may be gracious and generous to others.

Drawing back to my grandfather’s favourite proverb, amidst the desert, God show us where we can find water and it is incumbent upon us to show others in turn.

When we reflect on the year that was, it is important for us to remember:

God has promised to bless us abundantly.
Even when you are at your greatest need or at your lowest ebb, God’s blessings are there, you may just not be able to see them yet.
God’s blessings depend on Him, not on us.
We do not need to earn God’s favour and thank God for that. We are asked to press to Him, present our needs to Him and ask for His blessing and deliverance.
We are called to be a blessing to others.
God’s promised blessings require a response. Zechariah 8:9-17 explains how He expects us to respond to the promise of His blessing.
Our hands are to be strong so that His temple may be built (9).
We are to speak the truth to each other and render try and sound judgment (16) and not to plot evil against each other or swear falsely (17).
We are called to be holy in our conduct.
To call ourselves Christians and then to live like the world is to mock God before the world. The fact that the Lord dwells among us means that we must be known as people of truth and holiness.
God’s blessed people should be a blessing to others.

We bless others by helping them to find God. We are to be a witness for the Lord in all that we are and all that we do.

So do not worry if your glass appears to be half empty or half full. Do not look to the lapses, do not fall prey to negativity. Look back on all that you have been given, and in all that you do, ask God to show you how you may bless others.

James Avram

Deputy Principal – Head of Senior School