I have some friends who come from large families and they tell me how clothes and shoes were passed down to younger siblings as they were outgrown. Older children were taught to take good care of their clothes and shoes; as a result, the youngest child might be wearing items that had been used and passed down several times. I didn’t experience that as a child but as a Christian I know most of the blessings in my life have been the result of blessed brothers and sisters in Christ who have in turn blessed me.
When I was researching my Thanksgiving blog, I ran across a quote from W. T. Purkiser, a preacher, scholar and author who was not familiar to me. “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” Blessings are gifts from God. When I receive a tie as a Christmas or birthday present, I can rave about how beautiful it is and how much I appreciate the gift; but it isn’t until the giver sees me wearing it that they know the true depth of my appreciation.
The chair with a lift to help me stand that I’m sitting in as I write this is a hand-me-down blessing. It came with a house that was purchased and the owner gave it to me when she found out I needed one. My portable air conditioner and my refrigerator are brand new blessings purchased by my church, but they are in my home because someone shared their material blessings in the form of tithes and offerings to bless others, including me. I could never thank my friends enough for all of the acts of kindness they have shown me. I know that I have been blessed because they have been blessed.
There are two big differences between hand-me-down clothes and hand-me-down blessings. The first is that blessings aren’t always physical. They can be in the form of encouragement, prayers and loving Christian fellowship. The second is that the more you share your blessings and your gifts with others, the more blessings you receive from God. No matter how hard you try, you can’t out give God.