“Since I was so sure of your understanding and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing by visiting you twice— first on my way to Macedonia and again when I returned from Macedonia. Then you could send me on my way to Judea.”
2 Corinthians 1:15-16 NLT
Paul’s plan was to visit the Corinthians on his way to Macedonia and then again on the way back, giving them a “double blessing”, but assuming, of course, that his visits would be welcome. Was Paul assuming a bit too much in his expectations? After all, his first letter was quite confrontative and difficult to accept in places. Through it all, however, Paul’s intentions were the highest for his church plant in Corinth, and he agonised much in his prayers and in writing his letters. Imagine sitting in a pew in the Corinthians assembly, hearing Paul’s first letter being read out, and finding what he was saying quite difficult to accept. Would what he had written encourage us, or would it have been something that we would reject, just because it didn’t suit our particular world view or even preferred behaviour? And then, in meeting Paul face-to-face, how would we respond to him? I’m sure most of the converts there would have welcomed Paul’s words for the clarity and correction they provided, but some would still not have been very happy. What about the man publicly exposed for sleeping with his stepmother? I’m sure he wouldn’t have been very welcoming to Paul, even if his name had been removed from the church membership roll. So perhaps Paul’s expectation of being a “double blessing” might have been a bit presumptuous.
In our pilgrim lives today, are we a blessing to those around us, in our circle of friends and family? Do they welcome us when we call, or do they pretend to be out? It all depends on the relational bridge that we have in place. It is impossible to deliver a message of personal correction to someone we don’t know. We need either a friendship robust enough to survive the confrontation or a shared interest that serves as an external factor we both believe in. For example, a police officer or other government official can correct us when we do something wrong. Another example is a visiting preacher who delivers a hard message from the pulpit, perhaps one that demands personal change away from a sinful lifestyle. But on a one-to-one basis, a friendship is necessary to bring any form of correction. I can remember, as a Christian only a few days old in the faith, when the minister called to start me off on the road of discipleship. I resented him for that because the relational bridge wasn’t there, and anyway, I naively thought, who was he to say these things about getting involved in personal prayer and Bible reading? Thankfully, I persevered, and we became good friends.
The Bible, God’s Word, calls us to be a blessing to those around us. But before we can be that, we need to accept the blessings God provides. Ephesians 1:3 roots God’s blessings in Jesus; “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). What are these blessings? Well, they are too numerous to count, but Paul listed a few in Ephesians 1. God loves us and adopts us into His own family through Jesus. He has poured out His grace upon us. He is rich in kindness and purchased our freedom through the blood of Jesus, forgiving our sins. He has showered us with wisdom and understanding. And we must not forget that spiritual blessings are gifts from God, and we have to accept them before they can be absorbed into our souls and spirits.
Jesus asked us to bless those who mistreat us. Luke 6:28, “Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you”. Paul wrote, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). Another analogy aligns our presence as a “sweet perfume”. 2 Corinthians 2:14, “But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume”. We all know the aroma of perfumes, as produced by our cosmetics industries, but what smell do we leave behind us when we pass by?
As Christians, we have a mission to be a blessing to those around us, but not everyone will accept it. Paul wrote, “To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?” (2 Corinthians 2:17). Thankfully, God has equipped us with every spiritual blessing so that we can be His blessing to those around us. Not everyone will accept the blessing, of course, but what can be a greater blessing than the free gift of eternal life?
Father God. Thank You for all the blessings that You have given us. We open our hands today and receive them gratefully. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 