Blessings

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Every once in a while, I see messages or videos that speak about God's blessings. Sometimes, the videos show people that have no food to eat, or are crippled and disabled, or suffering with disease, or have children and family that die and so on. 

Through it all, the message is that God has blessed us with so much because we don't suffer these things. So, we should be thankful that God loves us so much that He doesn't inflict us with such misery. 

I don't know - but to me, this seems like such a twisted philosophy. It's like we are telling ourselves that "Better them than us". Or that, we are mistakenly assuming that God doesn't love them enough. So maybe, it is their "lot" in life, to be punished like that. Or, maybe, this is an indirect way of shaming people so that we don't whine and complain about silly things, because someone out there is suffering more than we are.

If the intent is for us to have a thankful heart or have genuine empathy for someone else, we should not have to feel the need to compare grief or suffering. Rather, just reach out to someone in need.  

Surprisingly, when Jesus talks about blessings, He doesn't talk about material possessions or health or family or any of those things we consider blessings.

Mathew 5
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me"

Daniel fractured his right arm last week. We were thankful, that it didn't turn out to be something worse for him. Though, even having to watch the little boy drag his heavy arm around is sad. 

Don't get me wrong - I'm thankful for my material and physical blessings, but it just seems like we are missing the whole point to these blessings.

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