WFW: Be A Blessing

My sweet boys. I wish I could reach into this photo and just grab them up and hug them. That is why I chose this Scripture:

"And He took the children into His arms,
He put His hands on them and fervently blessed them."
Mark 10:16

Blessings are very much a Hebrew custom. It is also the place of the Father to do this. He would put his hands on his child's head and speak blessings. You are probably most familiar with this from the story in Genesis 27 of Jacob and Esau. When Jesus tenderly pulled these children into his arms and put his hands on their heads and spoke whispered words of blessing, he was acting as their Father. Can you imagine how overwhelming that must have been for those parents standing there watching? I can't imagine how I would have felt standing there watching my Savior speaking words of fervent blessing over Little Guy and Big Guy. It just gives me chills. To think that the disciples rebuked the parents who brought their children to him!

I have always been intrigued with the concept of the blessing. Before we had children, I read a book called The Blessing by John Trent. It explained about how your parent's approval or lack of approval affects how you view yourself. Most of us can spend our lives striving for approval.

God planted in me a desire to give my boys the security of the blessing. A security of knowing unconditional love and approval.

This book details out five elements of the blessing: meaningful touch, a spoken message, attaching high value, picturing a special future, and an active commitment.

So many people read that Scripture in Mark and think, "That is so nice. Jesus took time for the children." But it was so much more. He took TIME for the children. He BLESSED them. He gave them a meaningful touch... a spoken message... attached a high value to them.... showed them a special future and made an active commitment!

He gave us the example... be a blessing!