Opening our hands

 

One of the thoughts that I keep coming back to as we study Psalm 67 is that God blesses us so that we can bless others.

The land yields its harvest;
    God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. (Psalm 67:6-7)

The songwriter says that God had blessed Israel materially. The earth had yielded a bountiful harvest. The olive trees had been heavy with their fruit; the cattle, oxen, and sheep had multiplied into even larger herds. 
Why?
So that all the nations would know that Israel's God was the One true God.  So that the other nations would experience spiritual blessings.

It's true today, as well. 

When God blesses us materially, it shouldn't translate into our squandering his blessings on selfish living. We shouldn't go down our list of "oh, I like those" and "one day I'll buy that."  That's not the point of His blessing. When we are blessed with material things, we should make it a point to bless others. I'm not saying that it's always wrong to buy things not needed. An occasional splurge is a good thing and can lift our spirits; we can praise God for His blessing us with enough money for it to be possible. But we should remember to use God's blessings to bless others.

We can bless others financially by helping those in need around us.

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? (I John 3:17)

We can also bless others financially by supporting those who are taking the message of God's gift of salvation to those who have not yet heard. The early churches are an example for us:

You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. (Philippians 4:15-16)

We can bless others with the gift of our time.

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

We can bless them by providing for their needs.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:16)

To invest in others, and in the gospel, is to share our gladness in God. We can be a part of glorifying Him and in spreading the joy of the Lord all around the world!