To pronounce a blessing on someone or something was quite common in the Bible. In the first chapter, God speaks the blessing over the sea animals and birds by telling them to be fruitful and multiply on earth.

Just a little further on, God pronounces almost the same blessing on Adam and Eve and adds that they must rule over the earth.

A blessing is a declaration that someone utters, hoping that prosperity and happiness will accompany the other person. As we know, words have power. Words have a lot of power. Words can build up, and of course, words can break down.

I’ve seen a little boy cringe when his parents yell at him. Words like that break down. They scare. They do not build up. I’ve also seen beautiful, uplifting words lift children and adults to greater heights.

We easily object loudly and even angrily when others don’t do as we think they should, and when we’re irritated, it slips out quickly. Many times, we simply let fly. And the person wilts like a small flower in the sun’s scorching rays within seconds.

We make too little effort to speak nicely.

I walk into a business in town. The owner’s son is there to help. He was in a private school in the Cape, he says. He is unsteady on his feet and speaks with another man’s tongue. I feel ashamed on behalf of the employees and customers.

Standing around the fire that evening, I’m moved to turn to my children and thank them from the bottom of my heart for turning out very well and going out in the world with the right rules of the game and that they’re not rolling around in the gutters of life.

I could see how those lovely words made the kids reach for more. I realised that I myself am pretty thin on using nice words. We need to speak more good words about the people around us. We should more often bless others with beautiful words that sow prosperity and happiness.

Peter speaks beautiful words over the readers of his letter: ²… May everything good from God be yours!

When he utters these words, he utters them with a heart that believes. He believes that what he says and asks God here will come true. Otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered to say it.

As you and I read the letter, we join everyone who has read and heard the letter and stand on the receiving end of this blessing, too. If Peter thought it worked, we must accept that this blessing will also influence our lives.

Of course, we must also pass it on to the people around us everywhere. Let’s tell them: ²… May everything good from God be yours!

Scripture
1 Peter 1:1-2

Reflection
Do you believe in the power of words?
Do you believe in pronouncing a blessing on others?
Who can you bless now?

Prayer
Father, thank you for the blessing that rains down on me. I believe in it and now take it for myself. Remind me through Your Spirit to also bless others today. Amen.