Dear one,
I don’t recall when first I began to use the expression: “Bless you”; but whenever, I know that it rolls glibly, with little thought from my tongue. Of course, its fuller expression might be: “Bless your heart,” or even with a drawl: “Bless your pea-pickin’ little heart.” This noted, and I am no philologist, very likely in days medieval, the original expression was: “God bless you.” If so, and in accord with Genesis 2:7 and God’s “breath of life,” it might have been a prayer in response to someone sneezing: “May our Creator once again fill your lungs with His living breath.”
Whatever its actual, linguistic history, not long ago I had occasion to reconsider “blessing.” For some years I’ve known that the English word “blessing” seeks to capture the Greek word, εὐλογία, or “eulogy,” or the Latin word, benedicere, or “benediction.” In both instances, literally the words mean: “good word”; that is, a benediction or a eulogy is a good word. However, recently I had pause to reconsider “blessing” as I encountered it afresh in Numbers 6:24-26:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”
At a minimum, I realized that “blessing” emanates from the Lord of creation, and that it concerns His watchful shepherding, His light, His grace, His presence, and His peace. It’s not simply that He blesses, but that His blessing is a good word regarding His oversight, light, grace, presence, and peace. Thus, when I utter “Bless you,” would that those two words were a prayer: “May the Creator of your life grant you His Shepherd’s care, His light amid darkness, His undeserved favor, His companionship amid loneliness, and His well-being in all relationships.”
Consistent with Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs,” we Americans are convinced that “blessings” are fundamentally material: we quickly count our homes, cars, and vacations as blessings. And yet, I’ve experienced enough of our world and its peoples—in Malawi, Uganda, and Bangladesh—to know that greater blessings are evident in the lives of those who have very few possessions; that relationally they abound in generosity, hospitality, grace, and peace.
Oh, I’m not seeking to romanticize poverty and disease; but I am suggesting that when we enthuse, “God bless America” (which He has in great abundance), may we pray that His relational peace and forgiveness flood our land as does the sun every day.
So, bless you.
Stan
Blessed ...?