”By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.” (Proverbs 11:11).
God is the source and cause of all blessings in our lives. His blessing means much more than Him wishing us well or promising us something valuable. He is also the only One capable of making the promised blessings a reality in our lives. When we pronounce a blessing to one another, we remind each other of who God is and what He can do.
Proverbs 11 calls us to an honest and sincere life. It is a recurring theme in the Old Testament: those who are honest and sincere, who put God’s words into practice, will be blessed. This way of life also influences the neigbourhood in which we live. That should not surprise us. Someone who acts honestly and reliably is of benefit to the community in which he or she lives. People who cheat, lie, are unreliable and offensive cause others harm. Sincere people who pray for their neighbourhood, who speak uplifting words and seek the good of others, are a blessing to those around them. By living a God-centred life, we are a blessing to our neighbourhood. And in doing so, we show what God is like.
Have you ever realised that you can be a blessing to the place where you live? How could you put that into practice?