Love; Extend Blessings!

February 5, 2026

Love; Extend Blessings!

To love another means so much more than having a warm feeling in your heart or being infatuated with the other person.  Love is a feeling and so much more.  Love is also something we do. 

As the Apostle Paul describes the marks of a true Christ-follower, he begins with genuine love as the first mark.  Paul is describing the real meaning of love in the life of a Christ-follower.  Paul says love involves something he calls “blessing.”

In Romans 12:14 Paul describes another facet of love.  He writes; “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

When we hear the word “bless” or “blessing” many of us first think of God’s blessing on us.  In the book of Genesis we hear God’s promise of blessing on Abram.  In Genesis 12:2 we hear; “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

Abram experiences God’s blessing in a way that transforms his life, gives him a future with hope, and encourages him when things are going wrong.  But, God’s blessing on Abram comes with the expectation of a response.  The Lord God promises His blessing on Abram so Abram can be a blessing to other people.

When we care about people, when we have empathy for people, and when we love people we want to bless them.  To love another person is to extend a blessing on them.  To bless means to extend the promise of God’s favor on another person.

If I love another person, I want that person to know all the good gifts our Heavenly Father has given to me and to them.  I want to extend the grace and mercy and love of Jesus to the other person in the form of a blessing. 

The promise the Lord God made to Abram is that he would be blessed by the Lord God so he could be a blessing to other people.  The Apostle Paul reminds the Christ-followers in Rome to be a blessing to other people…even the people who were causing them trouble.

You are blessed to be a blessing!  We receive the gift of God’s blessing so we can share those good gifts with other people.

Someone you know needs a reminder that they are a precious child of God who is blessed by God.  Maybe your friend is a little beat up or beat down right now.  Maybe your friend is low on hope and low on options right now.  Maybe your friend feels forgotten by a friend or forgotten by Jesus right now. 

Whatever is going on with your friend, they need you to pronounce a blessing on them. 

+They need a reminder they are precious and loved by Jesus. 

+They need a reminder they are surrounded by people who care and a Heavenly Father who cares.  +They need a reminder the Lord’s hand is on them and the Lord is with them.

+They need a reminder the Holy Spirit will give them strength and courage.

+They need a reminder the Holy Spirit can restore their joy, their peace, and their hope.

I invite you to reach out to your friend because you have been blessed by the Lord God to be a blessing to someone.  To bless another person is to show your love for that person as well as God’s favor on that person. 

When we bless another person, delight will begin to grow in their heart, mind, and soul until it overflows into the lives of their friends.  When that happens, your heart will fill with joy in the blessing the Lord has given you.    

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug