An Irish Blessing

Romans 12:14 Wish only good for those who treat you badly. Ask God to bless them, not curse them.

How often do you hear people speaking well of their enemies? In fact, how often do you speak well of your enemies? My guess? Not all that often. And that’s not because I’m pointing the finger at you. It’s just how we are, right?

Christians love to use the word “blessing” … a lot. After all, who doesn’t want God’s blessing? One of the Greek words used in the New Testament for blessing is eulogia. It means to speak well of or to praise, as in a eulogy at a funeral. And it’s precisely that word that appears in this Bible verse:

Romans 12:14 Wish only good for those who treat you badly. Ask God to bless them, not curse them.

So, from God’s perspective, the two ideas of speaking well of your enemies and of blessing them go hand in hand. And choosing to do that – to bless your enemies – is something that begins in the heart. The Irish have a beautiful blessing that goes like this:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Imagine having that sort of a blessing for your enemies in your heart – in your words, in your actions, in your prayers. How different would your attitude towards them be? How much more peace and joy would you have in your life? How much healing would that bring to your relationship with them?

Wish only good for those who treat you badly. Ask God to bless them, not curse them.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.

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