How Your Words Reveal the Divine
I will never forget what he said
It was over 20 years ago, but I will never forget what my dad said to me. My wife and I visited my parent’s house for dinner. Mom sent the guys out to pick up a bucket of fried chicken. My brother and I were in the front seat, and dad was in the back. When we returned to the house and pulled into the driveway, dad said he had something he wanted to say. It was unusual for him to talk like that, so I wondered if something terrible happened. He said, “I want you both to know how proud I am of you and how much I love you!” I was shocked by how deeply his words impacted me. I always knew that my dad loved me, but he was a man of few words and rarely talked about his feelings. What he said changed me. Dad spoke into my life, and it gave me confidence and a sense of peace and goodness.
Blessed to Bless
I will bless you …and you will be a blessing. — God (Genesis 12:2)
In the Bible, God speaks to Abram on how the Divine will bless him and tells him the purpose of the blessing. Abram will receive the benefit, but the gift is for sharing with others. The Divine’s blessings come to us to flow through us to another person. We are to receive it and enjoy it, but we are not to withhold it.
We receive God’s goodness so that we can demonstrate God’s love. Our sharing of God’s kindness can take many forms, like giving money, gifts, or time. A simple yet powerful way to share life and love with another is through our words.
Our words have tremendous power. I can easily remember those who have spoken encouragement and compassion into my life. I treasure every moment when a friend, family member, coach, or teacher recognized something good in me and called it out for me to see.
Calling Out What is True
To give a blessing is to affirm, to say “yes” to a person’s Belovedness. And more than that: To give a blessing creates the reality of which it speaks. A blessing touches the original goodness of the other and calls forth his or her Belovedness. — Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved
As we learn to listen to the still and quiet voice of the Divine telling us that we are accepted, loved, and favored, then the natural response is to see it in others and want to share it with them. Those who have embraced their identity as loved by God want to call it out for others and help them see that God deeply cherishes them and that God is with them.
Blessing someone is to speak well of them. It is calling out their true self and giving words to their core identity. It is not creating something that does not exist. It is speaking to what is already there but maybe hidden or unseen. To bless someone is to share what we know to be true for ourselves and them. It is to remind them that they are cherished, unique, and beautiful.
Accepting the Challenge
This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple. The philosophy is kindness. — His Holiness the Dalai Lama
It is easy to acknowledge that we are blessed, and by sharing with another, we can impact their life. It is another thing to accept the challenge and actively look for opportunities to speak up and say something.
It is risky but a risk worth taking. As we share, some may be skeptical or ignore our words. But most people long to hear kindness, love, and encouragement from someone else. We need regular reminders that God loves us and our life matters more than we know.
Imagine if we were known for blessing others and bringing hope into their lives. Every circumstance is the opportunity to reveal love in the way we speak. As we give what we receive from God, we make the Divine tangible and real for those around us. What a fantastic opportunity!
Let’s impact the life of another with words of kindness and appreciation.
A Blessing for You
Throughout this day and in this moment,
May you embrace all things that give you life and vitality
May you discover and fulfill the passions deep within you
May you trust yourself and share your uniqueness with others
May you know the Divine and have a great sense of presence, peace, and power in each moment
May you experience deep love for yourself and life-changing love with others
May you be fully alive, thriving in mind, body, and spirit, knowing great joy and fulfillment
May you have the courage to follow boldly after your desires
May you give your greatest gifts in service to the world’s greatest needs
May you see the Light in all people and reveal the Light in you
And, may you be blessed by the source of all Life, Love, and Goodness!
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