February 21, 2023
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Peter 3:8-9) ESV
Do you believe we are called to be a blessing to others? Do we intentionally look for opportunities to bless others as we go through each day; it begins with our family members and then branches out to our friends and coworkers. As I read today’s Scripture (1 Peter 3:8-9), I gleaned from it: “Before I can receive a blessing, I have to be a blessing.” If you think about it, Christianity is a straightforward way of life, and nothing is complicated. That is why little children came to Jesus to be blessed and to hear from Him. Do we tend to complicate Christianity? Isn’t it simply just a walk of love and being a blessing to others?
First Peter 3:10-11 (NKJV) says, “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.” The word “Refrain” means to restrain or to muzzle. In other words, in the same way, as we muzzle our dog, we need to muzzle our jaws to refrain our tongues from speaking evil. Some of us may have foul mouths, and I remember being one of the worst. That was the first miracle I (thankfully) experienced when I gave my life to Jesus. From that day forward, I have never sworn again. We must watch our tongues because something said in the heat of the moment can never be taken back; even if we say we are sorry, the damage is done. The Bible tells us in (Proverbs 15:1) ESV, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Friends, we have the promise that if we behave in this way, we will know good days. As ambassadors of Jesus Christ, we can defuse difficult situations. If we restrain our tongues, I can guarantee the situation will calm down. It takes two people to argue. If our hearts desire to be a blessing to others, then the outcome will be that God will be glorified, and others will be blessed. Would you pray with me?
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for blessing me in many ways daily. You have called me to be a blessing to other people. I cannot choose the people I will bless; I know I must bless even the problematic people. Please help me to extend Your Love and Grace to everyone in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Encouraging Words: Be careful what we say; we can say something hurtful in seconds yet leave wounds that last forever.
God Bless you, Friends, and have a Blessed Day <><
Thoughts by Randall Stapleton is a Daily Devotion brought to you by The Bridge - Learn more at https://wearethebridge.org
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