Christmas perfectly epitomizes the blessing principle. Elizabeth tells Mary, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42). Mary, in her Magnificat, acknowledges that “generations will count me blessed” and praises God for blessing her so that, through her, God could bless the world (Luke 1:46-55). We give gifts to others at Christmas because God has given us the greatest gift of all. We honor others because God has honored us. Christmas reminds us that God’s blessing principle flows through Scripture.

God blesses us so we can bless others.

The blessing principle traces back to Abraham.

I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Here is the blessing principle on a national and global scale. God blesses Abraham by making him into a great nation. Through the nation of Israel, all the nations of this earth will be blessed. Christmas reminds us that Christ was born in fulfillment of God’s blessing to Abraham, so that, through Abraham, God could bless the world.

But the blessing principle includes an accountability corollary. Israel was judged, in part, because it failed to use God’s blessing to bless the world. The same is true for us today. Jesus taught us to be prepared for His return by being good stewards of what God gives to us. Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). The church, like Israel, is blessed to bless. When God blesses us, He blesses us to bless others.

The corollary

If we do not bless others with His blessing, He stops blessing.

God blessed England to bless the world. The British Empire dominated the world in the 1800s, and the global missionary movement flowed from it. Then the empire’s decline began in the 20th century, as England ceased to use its blessing to bless the world. The missionary movement shifted as America became the center of God’s kingdom work. God blessed America to bless the world. We as a nation have been richly blessed for the last hundred years. But as America stops blessing the world, God will stop blessing America. As we become increasingly self-centered, God will withdraw His hand of blessing. It is the blessing principle!

The Greek word for “bless” means to speak well of others, to praise and honor others. It is the word from which we get our word to “eulogize.” Honor is at the heart of blessing. The word is also used to call down God’s power to give His gifts to others. There is a blessing flow. As God honors us, we honor others. As God gives to us, we seek His gifts for others. God’s blessings flow to others through us. In turn, we are blessed. The blessing principle is reciprocal.

Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you … for by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Luke 6:38). Paul illustrated the blessing principle by explaining that as we sow, we will reap (2 Cor. 9:6-15). God enriches us to enrich others. God gives to us so we can be generous toward others. We reap what we sow. Paul said, “he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6). Blessings reciprocate. We are blessed by blessing, but blessing is not merely money. God’s blessings come in many forms besides financial. Honor and gratitude are the essence of blessing. The point is that we are given in proportion to our giving.

Christmas Blues!

I experienced the blessing principle personally, but in a small way, many years ago. It was my freshman year at Bible college in Center City Philadelphia, far away from home. I was in my dorm room by myself on a Friday night, a country boy from Maine in the big city. It was just a few weeks before Christmas. The dorm was virtually empty as all the guys were out on dates or engaged in other social activities. I was alone and lonely. With nothing else to do and feeling very sorry for myself, I decided to walk down the street to the small college café.

The college café was mostly empty, which only added to my blue spirits. Getting a cup of coffee, I sat down by myself to brood. A freshman girl sat by herself at a table in the corner. I didn’t know her. I could see she was crying, so I reluctantly walked over to see if I could help. Those physical steps were the first steps toward experiencing the blessing principle. She told me her sad story, which easily eclipsed my self-pity.

Her parents were missionaries in South America. It was her first Christmas away from home. She would not see them because she had no means to travel back. She had just received a letter from her mother. Her father was very sick and in the hospital. In the days long before cell phones (when we all did our talking on the payphones at the end of the hall!), she couldn’t even call him. There was no internet, so no email either. The only connection was snail mail!

She shared her story through her tears to me, a stranger. Together we talked in the empty café that night. We prayed together for her father and, as we prayed, her tears began to subside. She knew God was in control, and she was not alone. My self-centered woes paled in comparison to her needs. Wrapped up in my woes, I couldn’t see anyone else. Once God unwrapped my self-pity, I realized that I was blessed compared to her, so I shared with her out of my blessing.

We parted that night, and I went back to my dorm room. I was still alone but no longer lonely. A funny thing happened that night. As I blessed her, God blessed me. He lifted my spirits as I lifted hers. It was the blessing principle in micro. Our paths never crossed again at college. It was the only time I ever spoke with her, but God showed me the truth of His blessing principle that Christmas season in a lonely college café.

So, find someone to bless this Christmas. It will change your life!