To be a blessing.

What is a blessing? Is it the miraculous act of seeing the handprint of God right in front of your eyes? Is it the closing of a door on a relationship that made you anxious and empty? Is it the sunrise shining through your blinds or the sound of a coffee machine starting to boil? I’ve learned to recognize that it’s all those things and so much more.  

A friend refered me to a friend of theirs who is creating and attempting to create a positive men’s community. The response to inquiring about the group was not a beautiful description about the goal or idea that the guy has, but instead a description about my friend who referred me. 

He said that she was a “blessing to everyone she meets.” It was in that phrase that the rest of the message melted away. Those words echoed to the parts of my brain that needed to be lit. It was water nourishing parts of me that hadn’t received hydration in a while.

To be described as a blessing. Is there a better way to be described?! and TO EVERYONE THEY MEET. What joy. Now as I sent her the affirmation, I await her humble response, as she will probably deter the compliment to the blessing or use her incredible wit and creativity to humbly joke. It’s the extraordinary magic Ben Rector sings about it. To speak of blessings is the visible, audible, auditory presence and exuding of our God. 

Sometimes we come across people who we go, that wasn’t an accident. Like paths crossing at exactly the right time, and the author of this world, God, wrote it to be.

There’s a beautiful Arabic saying from the book The Alchemist about this, it’s called Maktub. To clarify, Paolo Coelho the author, may have used his wisdom and cultural investigation to find out that Maktub has a deeper definition than the google translate, to write.

 In the book Coelho describes the aura of Maktub, as the handwriting of God; that all that happens for and to us is written by the author of this world, Elohim, the hebrew name for God the creator. When I read the Alchemist back in 2016 going through a rookie season in Philadelphia, this word reached to the depths of my soul. It clicked puzzle pieces together, showing me that my life was not a series of events, but a story written by God. 

That my life is an entire prayer to God. 

I loved it so much that I have it tattooed on me, and although it literally stays with me everywhere I go, I forget this phrase in times when I should remember it the most. 

Maktub is not just that all is written by the hand of God, but that God the author and writer of life, has our best interests ALWAYS. To know God, is to know love. The deepest and most unconditional form of love. The love that sacrifices. The love that grants mercy and grace when we surely don’t deserve it. It’s overwhelming and when you let God’s love in and turn your face to it, it makes your insides swell and tears flow from your eyes. It causes the feeling of dopamine to rush to your brain that elicits joy. 

Throughout my walk with God, I constantly and daily forget that this is the true nature of God. That He is not an overprotective and performance based acceptance Father. He’s the Father that smiles at you as you walk off the field after your worst game, and says “Let’s get some ice cream,” with the most joy and comfort you could ever experience. 

It makes me rejoice and feel the light of God that the blessing of God is this unconditional love. That we have access to this love. No matter how many times we fall, or don’t achieve what we wanted to do. His love pours out evermore, all through His Son, Jesus. 

And the beauty of a relationship with Jesus, is that He is awaiting our yes to this friendship.

For some people, starting is the hardest part. The beauty of God’s love is that He already sent the first invitation. Just by your creation. You are not some accident. You were created with purpose and beauty.

Unlike this world, where we chase down goals and money, Jesus is waiting on us. It’s as easy as, “Hey God, You there?” No hoops. No trials. The fastest acceptance in the history of the world. We’re loved more immensely than we could ever imagine.

What a blessing. To be loved so much. No matter our past, how much we read the Bible, go to church, attend Bible study, score a goal, get our laundry done, or just barely get through the day. We are loved. 

What a blessing. In the Bible scripture echoes to our hearts, that we are made in the image and nature of God. We each serve as a light and vessel of His beauty and love. We serve as a blessing.

A blessing looks different to everyone. For some it’s the joy exuded from barista too early in the morning. A phone call that lasted an hour and a half with tears and laughs along the way. The wisdom and words needed to go face a crowd of people all awaiting your every move. Blessings come differently, but all point to the greatest blesser, Jesus. 

Now we in our humanity are limited, God is not. He can do infinitely more than we can imagine. Ask and it will be given to you (Matthew 7:7) It takes just one prayer. One ask. One, “hey God.” One step towards Jesus, to initiate the greatest relationship you will ever have. To receive the blessing that He has promised us and gracefully given. 

Now my theology may not be a seminarian or that of a forty year pastor, but I’ve lived long enough that religion is not what Jesus is about. He’s about relationship. He’s about love. He fosters conversation and shows us His beauty all around us. Open your entire being to Him. Have eyes of faith to slow down or speed up to see Him.

Maybe you came across this on twitter, or instagram, but let me tell you this it was not by coincidence. Maktub. 

And if you made it all the way here, the reason I wrote this is because I think everyone is a blessing. As I sent the affirmation to my friend, I quoted my favorite short story from the Alchemist,

 “No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he or she doesn’t know it.”

I believe this wholeheartedly. That the beauty of God resides within every person. Their gifts and talents and charisma and quirks all come from the Father. That we each serve as a blessing to this rotational rock and the people that walk on it. Representing the love and light of God. 

Step into this week with grace and purpose. Filling conversations, work, and every circumstance with the blessings you have received from Jesus and continue to be a blessing to everyone.  

Remember to be kind, courteous and respectful to everyone you meet, and always make gratitude your attitude.