Inheriting A Blessing

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,

“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
- St. Peter, 1 Peter 3:8-12

If you have ever lost a loved one who left you in his or her will, you understand what it means to receive an inheritance. Based on the relationship we had with the deceased, they would decide what we would receive and what we would not. I know of those who were surprised by receiving way more than they thought, and those who were surprised by receiving less than they planned.

Human inheritance is an interesting concept, as we are receiving something from someone who passed from this life to the next, for as the saying goes, “You can’t take it with you.”

Peter, on the other hand, shares a type of inheritance that differs in several ways:

1. This inheritance is from God who loves us and offers us an inheritance despite our sin and wrongdoings.

2. This inheritance is not monetary, but blessings from God.

3. This inheritance, unlike an earthly one, is an inheritance we “CAN” take with us for all of eternity.

What are we to do in return?

Out of a heart of gratitude for what Jesus has done for us… out of joy for the inheritance promised to us… we are to be like-minded, sympathetic, loving, compassionate and humble. We are not to repay evil with evil, or insult with insult. Rather, we are to repay evil with blessing.

In other words, we are blessed to be a blessing to others.

Peter then goes on to quote King David from Psalm 34 to further describe exactly what it looks like for us to be blessed to be a blessing. We are to keep our tongue from evil and our lips from deceitful speech.

We are to do good and seek peace. If we do not do these things, how can we possibly be a blessing to others?

As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, may we be reminded, with hearts full of gratitude, of what Jesus did for us on the cross, where He paid the penalty for our sins, so that we might become sons and daughters of the Most High God, guaranteed an inheritance from Him.

This is not a monetary inheritance that will one day disappear, but a blessing from God that lasts for all of eternity. As a result, we get the privilege, the honor, and the responsibility, to be a blessing to others.

Pastor Ken

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