One Trait at a Time: Look Out to Bless Others
Wisdom Scripture
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.”
Wisdom Quote
Wisdom is a wedge against modernity’s narrowly instrumental and procedural reason, which runs like the machines we build. It stands against modernity’s excessively critical orientation, which (ironically) degenerates into parroting traditional criticisms. It is against modernity’s persistent reduction of the natural order into observable parts, which loses the enchantment of the world’s hidden structures, moral implications, and wholeness. And it critiques modernity’s obsession with dilemmas of moral obligation, which precludes living by virtue of an orientation to the true, the good, and the beautiful.[2]
[1] Vanhoozer, Kevin J. et al., eds. Dictionary for theological interpretation of the Bible 2005: 845–846. Print.
[2] Vanhoozer, Kevin J. et al., eds. Dictionary for theological interpretation of the Bible 2005: 846. Print.
Look Out to Bless Others
Look out beyond yourself. Not only should you grow in character to honor God and benefit yourself, but also to bless others, including your family and friends.
When you sin, you hurt the people closest to you. When you blow up, you damage those around you—often those you love the most. But when you love others and treat them with kindness, you bless them. You bring them joy.
If you are a parent, you want your kids to grow up to be healthy, godly adults. You want to teach them God’s ways. Nothing teaches better than modeling. Your kids will do what you do far more than they will do what you say. More is caught than taught. “I can’t hear what you are saying because your actions drown out your words.” The best gift you can give your kids is a transformed you.
We are always modeling something. Kids pick up on your language, even when you wish they wouldn’t. When you hear your little son yell a curse word, you ask, “Who taught Michael to say that word?” Then it dawns on you. You shouted that word in traffic.
It’s the same whether you’re a supervisor at work or a leader in the church. Peter told church leaders to be examples to the people (1 Peter 5:3–4). What testimony are you showing those around you? To your friends? If they know you are a Christian, will they see you as a hypocrite who discourages them from ever considering Christ, or will they admire your character and be drawn to Him?
As you develop more of Christ’s character, you gain the power and wisdom to make a difference. When you live in continual sin, you weaken your spiritual influence. When you live in hypocrisy, you lack the integrity to serve God with spiritual power. But when you are full of love and the fruit of the Spirit, people want to be around you. You bless them.
