Blessed to Be a Blessing
Blessed to Be a Blessing
by Kimberlee Herbic
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. —2 Corinthians 9:6–8
Our thirteen-year-old daughter stood atop a rope beside me, terrified and harnessed to a steel cable. She had enjoyed ziplining in the past, and the stunning Rocky Mountain view would have usually thrilled her, but this time fear had taken over.
After many tears, encouragements, and positive reinforcements, she managed to complete several obstacles. About fifteen minutes in, we found ourselves firmly planted on a platform where we would switch our carabiners for a trolley to let us zipline down to the finishing platform. Honestly, I wasn’t quite sure how my daughter would handle this last task.
In front of us stood a young boy, perhaps around eight years old. He was alone, terrified to lift his feet and zipline down the cable. His mother urged him from below, and as a fellow champion mom, I also tried to motivate and encourage him. A younger, more confident voice came from behind me.
“You’ve got this,” my daughter said as she stepped out. My daughter and the young boy exchanged glances, forming a silent trust. Their eyes met for a second; then, he squinted, lifted his feet, and off he went! Without hesitation, my daughter connected to the cable and zipped down to encourage him and help him find the courage to complete the final leg of the zipline strongly.
I watched as she helped him get hooked up; her fear had faded into the background. The boy hesitated one last time, looking over his shoulder at my daughter, seeking last-minute affirmation. She gave him a high five, and seconds later, he was riding down the zipline right into the arms of his cheering family.
I noticed something powerful after this exchange between my daughter and the boy that day. As she worked through the fear surrounding him, God helped her overcome the fear enveloping her. Our daughter spent the next two hours ziplining without hands, crawling through obstacles, and joyfully recording the beautiful views and heights. Fear no longer held her. She was free to embrace and enjoy the journey.
Friends, when we sow seeds of blessing, we reap blessing. When we share in the grief journey with others, we experience comfort. When we give our tithes and offerings to help others in need, we experience joy. When we encourage others, we experience encouragement. When we seek peace and pursue it, we experience peace. Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
What if the selfless act of blessing others is the very channel through which God works to bless us?
I encourage you to bless someone this week. Ask God to guide you to a person or people in need. Invite God to use you and work through you to bless and uplift others from the overflow of His goodness, grace, and love. Let’s be cheerful givers of our time, encouragement, financial gifts, and prayer. As we invite God to use us, I believe we will experience what it means to be blessed so that we can be a blessing to others.