| “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy name…” |
| —Psalm 103:1 |
Recently you may have heard about, or read about, the story of a Tennessee senior high student:
A young girl, who claims she was standing up for her religious beliefs in the classroom, was suspended after breaking a class rule by saying “bless you” after a classmate sneezed.
When Dyer County High School senior Kendra Turner said bless you to her classmate, she says her teacher told her that was for church.
“She said that we’re not going to have godly speaking in her class and that’s when I said we have a constitutional right,” said Turner.
Turner says when she defended her actions, she was told to see an administrator. She says she finished the class period in in-school suspension. 1
Seems rather silly doesn’t it? To punish someone for showing thoughtfulness to a fellow human?
The Bible tells us, from Genesis to Revelation, that God’s character is one of blessing. When He blesses us, we, in turn, should bless others. Passing on God’s blessing does not come out of obligation, but out of a magnanimous heart filled with God-breathed love. He blesses us with health, comforts, truth, light, material goods, friends, family, His Word, and His presence.
If we want to reflect God, our lives should overflow with blessings for others. More than mere words, when we give our blessings to others, such blessings involve kind deeds, gifts, thoughtful remembrances, and delightful surprises of love.
Consider how you might bless others today. Think of something you can do to express Christ’s love to someone else. Remember that when you do, your life displays the goodness and character of God. What a privilege that is, indeed!
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| 1 “Student Reportedly Suspended after saying ‘Bless You’.” WMC-TV, Memphis, TN, August, 20, 2014 |
