Articles
 The Upper Room Discourse 79
 The Upper Room Discourse 78
 The Upper Room Discourse 77
 The Upper Room Discourse 76
 The Upper Room Discourse 75
 The Upper Room Discourse 74
 The Upper Room Discourse 73
 The Upper Room Discourse 72
 The Upper Room Discourse 71
 The Upper Room Discourse 70

Series [All]
 Daniel Juster (61)
 Fruit of the Spirit (8)
 Guy Cohen (56)
 Introduction to Messianic Judaism (24)
 Juster summer trip
 Mark Rantz (2)
 The Mitzvah Book (93)
 Tikkun Articles (5)
 Torah Thoughts
 Zion's Glory (3)

Archive


 

Monday, 6 May 2019
Be a blessing

1 Peter 3:9 "Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but give a blessing instead - it is for this reason you were called, so that you might inherit a blessing."

Can you believe that is in the Bible (and in the New Testament no less). To get a blessing you have to be a blessing? What? Says who? Says God! When you are insulted, give a blessing. That's exactly opposite of what my humanity wants to do. We should get good at it so that our first, practiced and immediate response to an insult is to bless (not to "bless out") the offender. Is that what it means to "turn the other cheek"?

The art of insulting one another has been called a vicious cycle. Yeshua commands the vicious cycle end with us, who walk in the spirit. It's been said hurting people hurt people. The kingdom of God is different. In God's kingdom, hurting people bless people because their love and gratitude for God is so much greater than the hurt from others. When God's people are squeezed, oil (from anointing) is poured out. We bless. Nekudah (Period).

Posted By Rabbi Michael Weiner, 10:07am Comment Comments: 0