Scripture Archives – Strength Of The Small

Blessings Scripture Faith Education Life Lessons

We Cannot Claim Someone Else’s Blessing

By JM PerezMarch 10, 20225 min read873 views

“What you do not wholeheartedly claim can never be yours.” — Joan Ambu

The last couple of months have been heartbreaking and nerve wrecking with hateful accusations, disrespect, lingering resentment, revenge, lies, distortion of facts, and back stabbing. The whole ordeal confirmed what I believed all along, reaffirmed my faith, and made it clear that I am still walking on the right path. Someone was wrongfully accused of stealing a blessing intended for someone else to achieve personal success.

The truth is that we cannot steal someone else’s blessing.

Did Jacob steal Esau’s blessing?

As Isaac was old and could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son in private and asked him to prepare a meal for him to eat so that he could give Esau his blessings before dying. Rebekah, who was Isaac’s wife, overheard the private conversation and encouraged her younger son Jacob, to steal his brother’s blessings. When Esau heard of what his brother had done and asked their father for his own blessings, Isaac could not revoke his blessings. Esau’s sin was the fact that he did not value his birthright and sold it to Jacob in return for some stew (Genesis 25:29-34).

The Lord had already chosen Jacob to be the one through whom the twelve tribes of Israel would be born. However, because Jacob wasn’t patient and deceived his father, he too, suffered some consequences such as:
– Being separated from his family by escaping to his uncle Laban in Harran when he learned that Esau was planning to kill him (Genesis 27:41-30:24). It is unknown if Jacob ever saw his mother again.
– Being deceived by his uncle Laban, who tricked him into marrying his elder daughter Leah (Genesis 29:25).

When Jacob returned from exile a wealthy man, he decided to reconcile with and make restitution to Esau for the loss he suffered from him when he stole his firstborn blessing. (Genesis 32:3-21). This is one of the greatest peacemaking stories in the Bible and in the World.

*Jacob stealing his brother Esau’s blessing. (Isaac Blessing Jacob).*
*Image Source: Los Angeles County Museum of Art . Painting by Nicolas-Guy Brenet.*

Why didn’t God return Esau’s blessing? Because the blessing Isaac promised to Esau wasn’t his to have, but Jacob’s. That’s why God allowed Jacob to keep the blessing he received through deceit; however, Jacob suffered consequences of impatience.

Cain killing Abel out of jealousy

The first killing of all time is written in the Bible, the Old Testament. In an act of jealousy, Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve murdered his brother Abel because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice but rejected his (Genesis 4:1–16). This resulted in God exiling Cain.

The Bible doesn’t really explain why Cain killed his brother. We only know that God looked with favor on Abel and his offerings because he gave them in faith, valuing God more than his flock. God rejected Cain’s offerings because he offered some fruits of the ground, not the best he could have offered. Even though God rejected Cain’s offerings, He encouraged him to do better and also warned him about his anger. With options presented to him, Cain decided to murder his brother. So, why did he do it?

Is it possible that with Abel gone, Cain didn’t have to feel inferior or have his offerings compared to those of his brother? Did he want to keep all the blessings for himself?
Even though Cain didn’t express remorse for his actions and was only concerned about his safety, God was merciful toward him and his crime didn’t go unpunished. After putting a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him at sight (Genesis 4:15), he was exiled to Nod, on the land east of Eden, where he started a family and wandered the earth for the rest of his life.

*Cain Leadeth Abel to Death.*
*Image Source: TheJewishMuseum.org Painting by James Tissot.*

What can we learn from these stories?

There are consequences for sins
Recognize that we’ve all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)
Understand that greed is a sin and overconfidence does not last forever
Have faith in God and practice patience
Understand that it is easy to get angry and jealous
Become your brother’s and sister’s keepers

As we can see from the stories above, it is impossible to claim someone else’s blessing. Like the saying goes, “Man proposes, but God disposes” (Proverbs 19:21-23). It doesn’t matter what anyone promises, because God has the final say. Rather than envying someone else, we should work hard at achieving our own goals. If you love what you do, and you are happy doing it, you will never be tempted to envy. No one can make you feel inferior unless you wholeheartedly believe it, and getting your opponent out of the way will not guarantee success. You have to be willing to change your thought process to see positive results; this takes time and effort, so be patient with yourself. Whenever you find yourself submerged in anger, remember that you can overcome it. You have options.

What I have seen is that people sometimes block their blessings and blame others for it.

Lack of faith. Claiming to love God, invoking His name in vain while being untruthful.
Guilt and projecting that guilt onto someone else. Taking what is wrong about you and blaming someone else for it, is not the solution. Just admit your fault.
Unwilling to admit your wrong either due to pride or the fear of being judged by others.
Ungratefulness and selfishness. Thinking that everything should be about you, that people ought to play by your rules without you ever acknowledging or thanking them.
Being negative, bitter, and unforgiving. Always seeing the worst in others and not willing to let go of past hurts.
Instigator. You pretend you are a good person, yet, you are a negative and one sided person, who only focuses on problems and never on solutions. You gossip behind people’s backs and only listen to what benefits you and enjoy seeing people fight against each other.
Scripture set aside, the one sure way to lose your blessing is by disrespecting and abusing your elders. Once you’ve crossed that line and do not repent, you can bid goodbye to your blessing.

In conclusion, you cannot steal or claim someone else’s blessing as yours. It’s just impossible. You can acquire it momentarily; however, you cannot reap the benefits because the blessing was never meant for you in the first place. Even if you willingly give up your blessing, the receiver cannot reap the rewards unless God says otherwise.

Pages:

By JM Perez

Scripture Strength of The Small Life Lessons People

Observing & Learning

By JM PerezSeptember 20, 20132 min read725 views

Do you know someone or have you ever had a conversation with someone who believes their way is the only way and who is reluctant to embrace new ideas? Often times, when we witness a wrong being done, our first instinct is to correct it. Mend the pieces and make it whole again. Though we should and must all face consequences for our actions; I find it a little harsh to tell people that they should lie in their bed the same way they made it. I also realize that as hurtful as it might be, it’s necessary.

As I was conversing with an old classmate recently, he asked me as a friend, to tell him what I dislike about him because he can’t have lasting relationships. Well, for one I let him know that in a relationship, no one is 1oo% at fault or innocent. We have to be honest from the start. We need to understand that we are all different and learn to compromise. Never underestimate, belittle anyone or anything. Never guess or assume things. Never speak on behalf of someone unless you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that your statement is true.

You probably know someone or have heard of someone whose drive in life seems to have faded to nothing and they cannot move on either because they don’t know how or they are not ready for the answer. Such individuals have not moved on past a certain point in their Life probably because they have not learned from the experience and thus, cannot absorb and/or retain new information.

After counseling, helping, assisting and going over the same process time and time again with little to no success; we must ask ourselves what is it we are doing? What are our expectations and what are we hoping to accomplish? Perhaps we need some peace of mind knowing that we tried? That we were there? That we did everything we could have done? That we gave everything we could have given? There comes a time too, when we need to let go of others hand and allow them to find themselves in the World because:

“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.” ― Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics).

Pages:

By JM Perez

Blessings Scripture Parenting Love Weather Children Family Gratitude

My Bringer of Serenity

By JM PerezAugust 19, 20132 min read571 views

Finally, after weeks of praying, hoping and waiting; it rained this morning. It was a short moment of heavy rain. Prior to the rain, we had periods of thunderstorm and lightning which started around 5:00 AM until 7:15 AM. My daughter who was still asleep then was awoken by the sound of the rain pouring down as well as the thunder. Once it stopped raining, the sun came out and my husband took his little girl outside to look at the beautiful rainbow.

I love it when it rains and I look forward to suit up, get out of the house and smell the clean, wet dirt. Today was different. While it was raining it got hot inside and as soon as it stopped raining it got even hotter. Though the backyard looks beautiful and the plants healthy, the dirt smelled musty for the first time in years. It smelled like decaying organic matter. I checked my younger plants, moved the trash can to the street for our weekly garbage pickup and then I went in to spend some time with my darling little girl.

I am blessed beyond words for having a wonderful family and amazing children. Every single one of them lift me up and renew my Spirit with their love and generosity. From the moment we drop off my Son to school until it’s time to pick him up, I experience great moments with my little girl. We explore, we learn, we play, we watch TV, we dance, we laugh, we plan events, we cock and eat, she calls and talk to one of her favorite persons in the World, we take turns listening to each other …, and she even makes up stories just for me.

What I love the most about my kids is that they keep me sane and joyful. They are best friends. They love and have so much respect and admiration for one another. They help each other, compromise and fight fair. They’ve somehow figured a way to give me some space when needed. Her brother though her the ABC’s and 123’s. He reads stories to her every single night before going to bed and they pray together before sleeping (whether I am present or not). Also, they remind me so much of my brother and I at that age.

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” — Deuteronomy 4:9 (NIV)

Pages:

By JM Perez

Scripture Personal Quest Faith Inspire

“The Empty Chair”

By JM PerezAugust 1, 20132 min read462 views

A man’s daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The pastor assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit and got the chair ready.

“I guess you were expecting me,” he said.
“No, who are you?”
“I’m the new associate pastor at your local church,” the pastor replied.
“When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up.”
“Oh yeah, the chair,” said the bedridden man. “Would you mind closing the door?”
Puzzled, the pastor shut the door.

Cast Aluminum Mini Chair “I’ve never told anyone this, not even my daughter,” said the man. “But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church, I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it always went right over my head.”

“I abandoned any attempt at prayer,” the old man continued, “until one day about four years ago, my best friend said to me ‘Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here’s what I suggest. Sit down on a chair, place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith, see Jesus on the chair. It’s not spooky because he promised, “I’ll be with you always”. ‘Then, just speak to Him and listen in the same way you’re doing with me right now’.”

“So, I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.”

The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, and returned to the church. Two nights later, the daughter called to tell the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon.

“Did he seem to die in peace?” he asked.
“Yes. When I left the house around two o’clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange, in fact, beyond strange — kinda weird. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside his bed.”

― Author Unknown

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ ― Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

Pages:

By JM Perez

Scripture Love Inspire Life Lessons People

Love and Acceptance

By JM PerezJuly 25, 20133 min read625 views

“Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins.” ― 1 Peter 4:8 (NAB)

A few years ago I received a ‘forward message’ in the mail. I greatly dislike forward messages which I never read pass the titles and I personally do not send such emails to others. This particular message moved me. I am sure I was bound to read; so I did and I kept it. I can’t remember who I received it from, but I am glad I read it. I am sharing it with you today given that it compliments my thoughts on the current topic.

The Nail in the Fence

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.” A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Acceptance begins with self-love. To love oneself is to acknowledge that we are unique and therefore, different. We may feel and live things which are irrational to others, but real to us. Still, those are our emotions and moments which we guard defenselessly. We need to recognize that we live in a World full of individuals we may or may not get along with or particularly like for countless reasons. We are probably unlikable ourselves, but that’s beside the point. We need to reconcile with the fact that these individuals have as much rights to be here as we do. We need to accept their presence, adjust to the many differences and learn to live peacefully.

Our differences are both what divide us and what make our strengths. There’s hardly anything new to learn from an individual with similar vision as us and so much to acquire from someone different. It’s our right to be cautious around others; but it’s unfair to hold someone’s mistakes as an excuse to love and/or assist them.

Wolves Face to Face. — *Image Source: Flickr.com.*

Dissent is one of the main causes of hatred. When you reject someone, be it openly or secretly, they feel it. No one can fake a genuine smile and a good heart is transparent. Unlike the tone of the voice which can be controlled; we cannot fake the true nature of our hearts. What’s the point then of disliking and rejecting others? Does having those individuals out of our lives make us bigger or better? Does it take our pain away? Does it solve our issues? Words are powerful and people never forget how we made them feel.

So, my dear readers and fellow citizens, let’s strive to be more tolerant, more loving, more forgiving, more generous, more patient. As Mahatma Gandhi simply put it, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind;” therefore, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Pages:

By JM Perez