Words of Wisdom (or Experience) Part 7

This is my last week as a member of the student body of Purdue University, and America. I have been through a lot in my 4... (or make that 5) years of college. Lately I have been doing a lot of reflecting on my life here in West Lafayette and how it could have been different or it could have changed. It is a sobering thought that in 3 week's time I will really really be out on my own in the real world. So basically each day this week, I will try to leave you all with some story or something I have learned that you can use (if you like) in your own life. Maybe I have suffered some so you can suffer less by learning from my mistakes...

Saturday (Blessings...It's a Two Way Street)

I actually was originally going to write about something else, which is also something important I have learned, but maybe I will save that one for part 8 :). This was also supposed to be the last one. Funny how things can change sometimes.

They say that "It is better to give than to receive." I will propose a second version of this. "It is easier to give than to receive."

One revelation I have had about this is that it takes two people for a blessing to transfer in most situation (I learned this in my discipleship program with XA). There are cases of anonymous blessings, but between two people, there generally must be two parties on the same page. There must be a giver, and a receiver.

I am not completely sure why it is so hard for us to receive blessings. Maybe it is because we aren't used to receiving from other people like we receive from God. A large part of it is probably our humility pride. Maybe we think we are not worthy of someone's general kindness and blessing. Or maybe we think we are too good for it? I don't know. I think there is equal blessing for someone who gives the blessing and who receives the blessing.

What if this blessing is something that is coming from God through another person? What if this person just wants to give back to you out of overflow that you have given to them? How destructive would that be to turn down a blessing like that? That could make a person feel pretty awful. Maybe they were so excited at the potential to bless you, to see the reaction on your face, and you have just taken that away by not letting them bless you. Blessings, whether they are material things, or words, or whatever are a special thing not to be taken lightly. There is a lot of thought that goes into blessings.

Maybe, for example, the next time someone offers to buy you dinner or a coffee at Starbucks, let them do it. Both of you will feel good, I promise (plus you will have a free Starbucks or free dinner).

Just always remember that it takes two for blessings to occur (as well as "to tango"). The giver of blessing gets just as much as the receiver.