I was volunteering at a holiday event for kids called “Toys for Joy” that provides toys, books, food, and fun for underprivileged and low income families.
I was amazed to see the turnout and that was just at one of the locations, there were two more! Thousands of people came and there were lines around the block at 7 am. It was awesome to able to help out and see so many happy kids and families who had been blessed with gifts, while also eye opening to see so many needy families.
It was a church sponsored event so of course lots of people were saying “God bless you” and “God loves you” to the kids and parents. As one little boy was leaving, he proudly shouted, “Bless God!” Everyone around laughed and smiled, but he just smiled even bigger, holding his new toy and following his mom.
The funny thing is, everyone thought it was cute that he said it wrong, but I think he actually had it right. Maybe we should be trying to bless God instead of always trying to have God bless us?
When you sit back and look at your life, there are probably many things that just worked out. Things that just happened with no explanation for your good. Maybe you somehow had enough money for rent when you lost your job or maybe you’ve had food to eat everyday. Maybe you should have been hurt in a car accident but you survived with only a bruise. Maybe you’ve even felt God speak to you. These are all ways that God blesses and helps us, but my question is, what have you done for God?
I like list so I made a list of all the things God has done for me. Considering all good things come from God since it’s his world, he created it and he has control over it, it was a long list. I made sure to include big things, things that I knew were from God as well as little things that were good blessings.
When I went to make a list of things I have done for God, it was much, much smaller. Sure, I’ve volunteered or told a few friends about God and invited them to church, but at the end of the day, God has done much more for me than I have done for him. Heck, for a good portion of my life I didn’t even really think about God. He was still taking care of me though, making sure I was okay and I didn’t really do much for him. I was too busy doing things I wanted to do.
To make this easy for us to understand, think about a friendship. If you have a friend and you are constantly giving to them but they never do anything back for you in return, well after a while you won’t really want to be friends with that person because it’s a one way street. If you are always the one giving and giving while your friend is always taking, that’s not a real friendship. It needs to go both ways. You each need to give what you have to each other whether it be gifts, time, fun or a listening ear. There is a reason why you are friends and it shouldn’t be because you can get something from them. It should be more so because you can enhance each other’s lives.
God wants to be our friend. He wants a relationship with us. He is more patient than we are and he will keep pursing us no matter how much we take from him, but maybe it’s time you give him something back? Maybe it’s time you ask God what you can do for him instead of what he can do for you?
Instead of always praying that God will bless you, maybe it’s time you pray that you bless God?
The kid had it right all along.