God has blessed each of us in different ways. So, how can we share that abundance, and be a blessing to others? Here are 10 main ways to bless others, along with Scriptures and specific examples.
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As I write this, we’re just a few days past Christmas. It’s a season ripe with opportunities to bless others… but really, shouldn’t we as followers of Christ be doing this year round?
Of course, yes! A brand new year is about to begin, and with it, an invitation to each of us to grow in faith and good works. I want to wake up each day, and ask myself “How can I be a blessing to others?” (Sadly, I’ve seldom done that in the past).
Not to mention, Valentine’s Day is only about six weeks out, which to me signals another great opportunity to bless others. Being perpetually single, I prefer to eschew the romantic side of Valentine’s, and instead focus on just doing something nice and encouraging for my friends, family, and co-workers.
But again, why leave the blessing one another to only holidays? I want to be a blessing to others every day, don’t you?
My prayer, is that with the Lord’s help, we can learn to always be a blessing to others—each and every day!
What does God say about being a blessing to others?
But first, what does the Bible say about blessing one another? Of course, it shouldn’t be any surprise (even if you’re new to studying God’s Word), that it has a lot to say about being a blessing.
Starting, with this essential advice from Jesus:
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Luke 6:31 (NIV)
And also:
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
But of course, you and I both know that we tend to be selfish people, prone to keep our blessings all to ourselves. So, the Apostle Paul had this to say:
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT)
Yes, I for one definitely need to do more of that. Speaking of doing, I’m glad to see that we’re actively doing this next verse right now:
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
Hebrews 10:24 (NLT)
And in case you were wondering, yes there are plenty of benefits of blessing others… but that should be our reward, and not our primary reason or motivation to be a blessing to others.
A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)
10 Ways to Be a Blessing to Others
So, moving onto the “meat” now… what are some actual ways to be a blessing to others? In thinking and praying about this, I came up with a list of 10 essential ways we can be a blessing to someone today. Some of these are “going out of your way to help” types of blessings, and others are super simple and practical ways for how you can be a blessing to others in everyday life.
1) Lift them up with words of encouragement
It’s no secret that the words we speak can either bring someone down, or lift them up. Sometimes, we might say things that are less than kind, or maybe we could’ve said something uplifting, but didn’t. So, in the words of TobyMac—Speak Life!
Here are some specific ideas for how to bless others with words:
- Send someone a sweet card in the mail, for a birthday or just because
- Write a thank you note to someone who helped you, to let them know they’re appreciated
- Applaud your co-workers/employees/kids for a job well done
- Encourage someone who has failed, to get back up and try again
- Tell a friend how much you admire certain traits in them (like their bravery, or generosity)
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)
2) Help them through a tough time (acts of service)
This next way to be a blessing to others, is more like traditional acts of service. It’s about ways to ease someone’s burdens when they’re going through a tough time, such as loss of a family member, unemployment, new motherhood, cancer treatment, etc. As for specific ways to help, the possibilities are pretty much endless…
- Pay for someone’s groceries
- Cook a meal for them
- Throw them a party (for birthday, baby shower, last chemo treatment, etc.)
- Offer to clean their house (or wash their car, mow their lawn, etc.)
- Babysit for them
3) Give your companionship/company
Sometimes, though, what a person really needs/wants is just some company. So if you know an elderly neighbor, new person/family without any friends, someone stuck in the hospital (or at home recovering), etc… go and visit them!
4) Share the bounty with someone
Did you receive some blessing in abundance, like a big harvest in your garden, or an unexpected bonus at work? Share it with a neighbor or friend! Be a blessing to others, and drop off a bushel of tomatoes, or an extra pan of lasagna. You never know when it might make their day so much brighter.
- Share extra produce or seeds/clippings from your garden
- Buy an extra ticket for that sporting event or concert, to give to a friend
- Take that leftover fabric, and make another garment/blanket/whatever for a neighbor
5) Teach them something they want to learn
Another way you can share your blessings with others is to pass along your gifts and talents through teaching. Maybe you’re an expert at making pies, and your niece really wants to learn. Or, you’re a programmer, and the teenager next door wants to learn how to code. Perhaps you have a secret talent for music, and you can teach a beginner guitar class at church. Of course, this is something you could choose to do for free, but even if you charge for lessons, you’d still be a blessing to others by passing on your knowledge and helping them learn. Good, patient teachers and mentors are a priceless gift!
6) Make the extra effort to listen and understand
If want to know to how to become a blessing to others in everyday life, listening well and seeking to understand and show compassion, is where it’s at. Case in point, I have narcolepsy, and I’m in several narcolepsy support groups on Facebook. And I hear so many sad stories from my fellow people with narcolepsy, who feel that their own family or friends don’t even make the effort to understand their condition, or have any compassion for them. (I’m very grateful to have family and friends who DO try to understand me and my sleepy mess, but I’ve encountered many people who don’t have that kind of support).
So, all of that to say, let’s make more of an effort to listen and understand each person’s situation, challenges, struggles, and so forth. Sometimes, the biggest way you can be a blessing to others, is simply to let them know that they’re heard and understood.
- Try to be sympathetic towards someone who is struggling with, say, an addiction; make an effort to understand why it’s such a struggle and how to help.
- Pray for that person who seems like a walking disaster; who knows what kind of burdens they’re carrying?
- Really listen to what your spouse, family member, or friend is saying… and try to understand why they are the way they are.
- Give extra compassion to those suffering from chronic illness… life is hard enough, without having one’s own body giving out/malfunctioning/flat out not wanting to cooperate.
7) Pray with/for them
Be a blessing to others, simply by offering to pray for them! You might be amazed at how many people truly appreciate being prayed for… even the ones who aren’t Christian and may not believe in the power of prayer or that God cares enough to hear them.
Just showing concern by offering to pray for that person, can be a comfort and encouragement to them. And of course, you and I know that God DOES hear our prayers, and though we don’t know what His answer will be, we do know He WILL answer in His perfect timing.
8) Give your undivided attention
Calling all distracted people! (Raising my hand here!) A great way to always be a blessing to others, is to put down whatever it is that’s distracting us, and pay attention to the person in front of us. Just a few examples, that can go a long way to make others feel seen, heard, and loved…
- When meeting with a friend, leave your phone on silent/vibrate and out of sight.
- Pause/mute/turn off the TV while you’re having a conversation with your spouse, children, or whoever is in front of you.
- If at all possible, face the person you’re speaking with/listening to (don’t face the opposite direction, or look out the window at what the neighbors are doing, etc.)
- Stop whatever you’re working on, and just listen. Don’t let yourself be so distracted that you won’t even remember what they said to you.
9) Provide support for their journey/cheer them on
Be someone’s helper and cheerleader! Seriously, this is such a great way to be a blessing to someone today… especially with the New Year coming up, and lots of people trying to set new goals or improve their habits. Some ideas:
- Support their efforts to change, by avoiding triggers or temptations (don’t be enticing me with cake after January 1st, y’all… I’m going keto/low carb!)
- Give lots of “YES, YOU CAN DO IT!” affirmations.
- Ask if they would like some accountability… like you call them once a week, or text every day, to get a progress report (they have to give you an honest assessment of what went right or wrong, if they fell off the wagon, etc.).
- If you live in the same household, consider doing the lifestyle change with them (it’s so helpful when the whole family is on board!)
- Lend a sympathetic ear in case of failures, but also, encourage them to not give up!
10) Forgive, and give grace
And finally, in addition to all these other blessings, you can continue to be a blessing to others simply by forgiving them. Give them the same grace your Heavenly Father gives you! Which is to say, a lot! We are all broken, sinful people, and let’s face it, sometimes we screw up. So, we need to show mercy to each other.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8 (NIV)
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
Galatians 6:1-3 (NLT)
To sum up these ways to be a blessing to others into just a few words: Encourage, help, give, listen, teach, and forgive. No matter what resources each of us has available to share, there is always something we can do to be a blessing. Let’s go do it, more and more, every day!
Hi! Thank you so much for visiting Divine Creative Love. I’m a Jesus-lovin’ girl, lettering artist, designer, and general creative-at-heart. And, I have narcolepsy. I blog about faith in God, overcoming challenges, and creative topics such as Bible journaling. If you’re new here, be sure and subscribe to my list so you won’t miss anything!
Hello my dear brother and sisters in christ, so blessed to have a guidance and teachings on how to be blessed with someone.. thank you for the love to share.. hope more encouragement and more teachings learned from you. Thank you very much! 😍
Hi Aurelia! You’re so very welcome, I consider it an honor and privilege to provide the encouragement.
Thanks a lot for sharing this message. I need your guidance and help to learn more about bible. I worked 34years as maths teacher. But know I am ready to serve our Lord like a true disciples.
You’re welcome Emmanuel! That is wonderful that you’re committing to serve the Lord and learn more of His Word! I recommend starting with some Bible study plans, such as the free ones I listed here: https://www.divinecreativelove.com/free-bible-study-lessons-for-adults/ You might also enjoy the study tips in this post: https://www.divinecreativelove.com/bible-study-tips-for-beginners/ Please let me know if there are any specific questions you have regarding Bible study, and I will try to help as best I can.
Thank you for the encouragement to get on with being a blessing to others.
Good practical tips and founded on God’s word!
You’re welcome ❤️
You are truly a blessing to the Church community. May God continue to guide you as you strive to fulfill your purpose.
Aww, thank you for such kind words of encouragement! 💗
I love the feeling of being a blessing to others. Helping others, even in simple ways, can change a life.
Absolutely true! 🙌🏼