I have had some niggling questions over the past few months. As I drive around Detroit I see the many homeless on the street corners with their signs requesting a hand out (or hand up as I like to consider it). Many of these signs say "God bless you." More often than not, when I give a dollar to them, they say "God bless you." Just yesterday I gave a newcomer to a corner frequented by them a dollar and he said the same words and I asked myself as I so frequently do, "Does this guy really mean it? Does he know God enough to bring God's blessing on me? Can someone who is not in God's family bless me? Is he saying this out of sincerity or is it just the "in thing" to say?" Lately I have begun to wonder about this.
It seems that "God bless you" is said very frequently one to another in Christian circles very sincerely. I will often say it to my Christian frineds and acquaintances in saying good-bye. I have even tacked it on the end of my voice mail messages. I know that I sincerely wish God's blessing on that person. It is not really something my non-Christian friends would say to me - it's just not in their vocabulary.
I do not necessarily give money to the homeless to get God's blessing. I do it because God has given me the resources and many times as I see a homeless person, I am thankful for what God has provided for me and at the very least I can share some of it with others who are more needy than I. In a way it is passing on God's blessing to me to another person.I do not give indiscriminately - many times I give because I feel God nudging me to give. And while I do appreciate a "thank you" or a smile, I do not expect anything in return.
I do believe that those who are poor and impoverished have a greater awareness of how God provides for them than those who are not in need. And I know that many of the homeless, regardless of how they use my dollar, are truly grateful. Perhaps they do have a right to request God's blessing on the giver.
I have briefly tried to find a Scripture relating to this but have not really found anything. Certainly someone saying "God bless you" is a short prayer of request by that person for God to bless another. So can someone who is not a Christian request God's blessing on another and expect God to answer that prayer? Acts 20:35 (NIV) says "...remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" So therefore just by my act of giving a dollar I already receive a blessing from God. Does it matter then if someone wishes God's blessing on me when I give something to them?
I am afraid I just have questions at this time. I will let them niggle at me as I drive away from each homeless person but will not lose sight of the satisfaction I feel knowing that I have blessed the receiver of my dollar with the blessings that God has given me.
1 comment:
Well, all I know is that I use the expression constantly, especially here, because it is the Nyarafolo way to say goodbye, and may God help you when you have a problem, and congratulations on your wedding, etc. etc. And Sunday, driving out to the village for church, the rebels stopped us to ask what we had for them today (meaning money). So, as we so often do, I looked the young man in the eyes (being an old lady) and said, "God bless you." And he smiled and let us go, because here, as in OT times, people still believe in the power of words. And I prayed for him as I left, that God would bring light into his life: himself, the Light. Yes, most people say it lightly. But at least the very words give God the credit for being the source of good things -- as opposed to "acts of God" which tend to be tornadoes etc. !! :D Good to think about.
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