How to Say a Blessing to Others in the New Year

How to Say a Blessing to Others in the New Year

January 1, 2015 Year B

“The Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell Aaron and his sons how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: May Yahweh bless you and protect you; may Yahweh make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may Yahweh look with favor on you and give you peace. In this way they will pronounce My name over the Israelites, and I will bless them.”” (Numbers 6:22–27, HCSB)

As I come to a new year, I am reminded of the blessing that God has given me of that new year. In 2014, there were many amazing and challenging lessons for me. As I reflect back on that year, I see that God was trying to strengthen for what lay ahead.

Then came two words: building relationships. I have learned this past year that I have trouble with relationships. There were problems which I would rather not repeat. So God revealed to me that I need to learn better skills at building relationships.

I am starting to think that this is a skill that needs continual improvement. I think the hardest part in relationships is building one another up.

It is easy to tear someone down. It takes work and maturity to build someone up. The hard part is that people don’t want to be built up. As I talk to people, they get to so discouraged at themselves and others. Many are constantly wondering what people think and say about them. It really doesn’t matter because we are called to please God. However, we still want the approval of others. So we wonder what other people think.

In this passage, God teaches Aaron and his sons how to bless others. He gives them six words to share when they are to bless people:

1. May God BLESS you

2. May God PROTECT you

3. May God SHINE His face on you

4. May God BE GRACIOUS to you

5. May God LOOK WITH FAVOR on you

6. May God GIVE PEACE to you

Now each of these blessings is something we all want. Yet, God is teaching us that we should share them with others.

You know how hard it is to share. Children have problem sharing toys. Workers have problem sharing the load of work. Christians have problems sharing the blessing of God.

You see, it is not like God is going to run out. He can keep giving out blessings. Just because we speak these blessings to others, it doesn’t mean that God will deny us blessings in return.

So why does God want us to speak blessings toward other people? Because He wants us to learn how to treat other people. The way God treats us is how He wants us to treat others. The way God speaks to us is how He wants us to speak to others.

As Jesus said: If a son asked for bread, would a father give him a snake? If your father knows how to give good gifts, surely your Heavenly Father knows how to give good gifts.

God knows how to give blessings. He wants us to teach us how to speak blessings to others.