By Agustinus Ryanto
My dad expected a lot from me as his only child. He wanted me to study business and be a businessman. But I chose journalism and worked as an office staff at a foundation.
“See this?” Papah said, pointing at the flour sacks while I was brushing my teeth. “These dirty sacks can pay for your college and earn more than your monthly salary.”
“Wow, that’s great! Praise God,” I said with a laugh. “It means that all our efforts are blessed.”
He always nagged me like this, especially during Chinese New Year. When I said “kiong hi” and got my angpau, he also gave me a lecture. He told me to switch careers before I turned thirty. He always compared my job to others that he thought were better. I was annoyed at first, but I got used to it. I knew he loved me and wanted the best for me.
But then, he had an accident that made him paralyzed. I got to work from home and stay with him at the hospital for a month. I took care of him, fed him, and sang to him. After two weeks, he cried when I cleaned his poop.
“Ouch, I’m embarrassed,” he stammered. His teeth were gone, and his eyes were swollen. “You shouldn’t have left your job for me. I’ve been mean to you…”
“Shh… Don’t say that,” I said. I wiped his skin with a warm cloth. It was saggy from lying down too long. “I never thought about it like that, pah. It’s because of this job that we have so much time together anyway.”
I started crying too. “If I made a lot of money, I wouldn’t be here, pah. I would hire someone else and be busy with work.”
I kissed his forehead and said, “So, can you please be happy for me and my job?”
He nodded and hugged me. He sobbed and said, “I’m happy for you. You may not be rich, but you are blessed!”
That day, in a hospital ward, I felt a different kind of warmth when he blessed me with his words. Two weeks later, he passed away. I was sad and shocked, but I also felt peace in my work.
***
My dad thought that making a lot of money would make life easier and happier. That’s normal, right? We all want to have a good life and take care of our loved ones. There is this idea that we should do better than our parents. That’s why parents try their best (sometimes too much) to help their kids have a better life.
The Bible has many stories about blessings. In the Old Testament, the word for blessing is “bârak”, which means to praise, congratulate, or greet. In Genesis 1:22, God blesses His creatures and tells them to multiply. However, God is not the only one who gives blessings.
When Isaac was old and dying, he blessed Jacob, “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness—an abundance of grain and new wine” (Genesis 27:28-29). This blessing was meant for Esau, the oldest son, but Jacob stole it with his mom’s help. This made the brothers hate each other. Esau was so upset and asked, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” (verse 38).
Maybe we feel like Esau sometimes. We feel like God doesn’t bless us. We don’t get into our dream school, we work in a job or place we don’t like, we have problems in our relationships, or we suffer a lot. We think our lives are not blessed. But let’s think more about what blessing means.
Blessing is saying good things and wishing happiness for someone, and the situation where those good things come true (read more: What is a blessing according to the Bible? What does the Bible mean by bless? | GotQuestions.org).
God made the world so good. He wanted everything to be happy and peaceful, but sin messed it up. Did the blessings go away when the world went bad? No, they didn’t. God still promises and gives blessings. God wants to restore His favor upon His people.
In the New Testament, we learn about a new kind of blessing that is more than physical things. Ephesians 1:3 says, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ”. See the words in italics. We have every spiritual blessing in Christ. If we keep reading the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul tells us how amazing life in Christ is:
- We are made holy and blameless in His sight (v. 4)
- We are adopted as His children into His royal family (v. 5)
- We are given the special gift of forgiveness of sins and His abundant grace (vv. 7-8)
- We are given the Holy Spirit who lives in us, leading us and strengthening us (v. 13)
God has given us the greatest blessing of new life and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean physical blessings are not important, but the spiritual blessings we have include the other blessings He gives us for our good and His glory (Matthew 6:25-34).
***
After Papa passed away, Chinese New Year was not the same. No more angpau for saying “kiong hi”, but that’s okay, because we already have the true and abundant blessings in Christ.
What are you praying for God to bless you with today?
Put Christ and God’s kingdom first, and He will take care of everything else (Matthew 6:33).
Journey Through “Ephesians”
Explore the spiritual blessings that God gives to His children with the Journey Through “Ephesians” book!
Our Daily Bread Ministries in Indonesia is supported by the freewill offering of individuals in Indonesia, who through their gifts enable us to continue to bring the life-changing wisdom of the Bible to many here. We are not funded by any church or organisation.
