What Does It Mean to Be a Blessing to Others?
As a pastor, I sometimes get asked this question: What is a blessing? It is defined in the dictionary as a “special favour that gives a benefit”. If someone benefits from something done for them, it may be considered a blessing.
With that in mind, what does it mean to bless someone else? We can bless someone with a simple smile to brighten their day. We can bless someone by cooking them a meal. We can bless someone by sharing with them our resources, such as time and money.
Spiritually, a blessing usually means that it comes from God. That is why we say phrases like, “God bless you”, meaning that we desire that God take care of that person and does what is in the best interest of that person.
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
This is one of the first calls for missions. Abraham may even be considered one of the very first missionaries. The Lord told him that He will bless him and that all peoples on earth would be blessed through him.
For that to happen, Abram had to obey. He had to trust and have faith in God.
He was to be the father of many nations, but at that time, he was 75 years old and did not even have a son. From a human perspective, he probably would not be able to have offspring, yet God said he would be the father of many nations. He was also supposed to leave his homeland to an unknown place. It took tremendous faith, but Abram was obedient and because of that, God blessed him.
In 2001, Rev. Philip Leung (the first executive director for CIM Canada) felt the call to do cross-cultural ministries, but he had no idea where God was calling him to go. Like Abram, he was obedient and pursued the calling. He attended a missions conference in Malaysia where he met Rev. Joshua Siu, a missionary from Hong Kong to Ghana since 1987. Rev. Siu asked Rev. Leung to go to Ghana, so in 2002, Rev. Leung traveled to Ghana for an exploratory trip and the rest is history. CIM Canada was formed in 2004 with the specific purpose of cross-cultural ministries initially in Ghana, which has now also expanded to Togo and the Roma people group.
Rev. Leung was obedient to the Lord’s call and because of that, many people and nations have been blessed.
Now in 2020, CIM Canada is once again obeying God by sending our first full-time international worker to Ghana. Janice Wong moved to Ghana in January. There are still many unknowns, but like Abram, she was obedient and because of that, I am sure that many, too, will be blessed.
Our mandate as an organization is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ cross-culturally and we will continue to do just that. We want to be a blessing to others.
As Christians, we are blessed because we have salvation through Jesus Christ. However, we must not be content with just being blessed, because as it implies in the Abrahamic covenant, we are blessed so that others may be blessed through us.
At CIM Canada, we share the gospel so that people will come to a saving knowledge of the Lord, but our hope is that the people that are blessed through our ministries will also go out and bless others by sharing their blessings to those around them.
How will you bless others? It could be as simple as a smile, but remember that the ultimate blessing is to lead others to Christ. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you. Consider joining a STM trip or giving financially to our ministries. Not only do donations help run our organization, but it supports 9 church planters and 19 village school teachers at 3 village schools in Ghana, 3 church planters in Togo, and 7 Roma pastors and ministry workers in Ukraine.
We look forward with great anticipation to see how the Lord will work through CIM Canada in 2020 and the new decade. We are currently planning STM trips in June to Eastern Europe and West Africa in July and August. More trips may be planned depending on interest. If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to email us.