“Sometimes the seeds of blessings germinate in a matter of minutes. More often than not, it takes generations for those seeds to affect nations. Either way, your blessing is someone else’s begat. So go ahead and flip the blessing. It’s the way we pay back the blessings god has given us on loan.”- Mark Batterson
“Please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sing that you will . . . save us from death. ‘Our lives for your lives,’ the men assured her (Rahab).”- Joshua 2:12-14 (NIV)
As Mark Batterson continues Chapter 13 of Double Blessing, he recalls the battle of Jericho. However, Pastor Batterson stresses, the key to victory involved more than just circling Jericho for seven days. The tide also turned on a single act of kindness. Before the walls tumbled down, Israel sent two spies into the city to check out the lay of the land. Nearly captured, a prostitute named Rabab saved the day for the spies. She took the spies up to her roof and covered them with flax.
Because Rahab committed an act akin to treason, she asked the spies to pay her kindness forward before she helped them escape. Later on, Rahab married Salmon. Together they had a son, Boaz. Boaz, in turn had a son named Obed. Next, Jesse and David followed in this lineage. Above all, Rahab is one of only five women listed by Matthew in his genealogy of Jesus. Thus, Mark quips, “Begat that!”
And, Pastor Batterson adds, you never know to whom you choose to show kindness. In Rahab’s case, the two spies passed it forward to the great-great grandmother of a king!
Today’s question: How do you pay it forward after your seeds of blessings germinate? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Ex nihilo blessing= surprise blessing”
