Bless without any reservations
Jesus has called us to bless. He wants us to join in doing good to people. From childhood, you can be a messenger for Jesus and bless those He wants to bless. When you have a pure heart, God can give you reminders or ideas about what good you can do for others. And since Jesus knows us better than anyone else, He knows how I can be a blessing. So what He wants me to do is something I am able to do. Instead of just doing what I want to do, I prioritize doing something that is good for someone else. And then I may have to deny myself in order to do that. But what I give is small compared to how God blesses me in return. Jesus is very pleased with those who want to be messengers for Him. And it becomes good for them as well.
Animated film: “She did what she could”
In the animated film, we meet Mary, the sister of Martha, whom we know from the Gospels. It’s almost Passover in Jerusalem, and Jesus’ disciples are about to gather for a dinner visit to the two sisters. Martha is busy cooking, but Mary has something very special in mind. She tells her sister that she is going to spend all her savings on an expensive and delicious ointment that she will use to anoint Jesus. She is a little nervous about her sister’s reaction, but Martha understands her. “Of course you should do it!” Mary runs off to buy the ointment. When the disciples are gathered for a meal, Mary happily returns and anoints Jesus with the expensive ointment. Some of the disciples react with shock and disbelief, wondering why she didn’t sell the ointment and give the money to the poor. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
But Jesus says: “Leave her alone! Why do you bother her? She has done something good to Me. You always have the poor with you, and when you want to, you can do something good to them. But you do not always have Me!”
Mary was happy together with Jesus. She had done what she could. And because of that, she was blessed by Jesus, and we remember her to this day.
Questions for discussion
Bible verses that go with the theme
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
Luke 6:38
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8
… not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:9
