Blessed: 11 Ways to Practice the “Be” Attitude

Practice the “Be”-attitude to help others feel blessed.
Like Jacob in the Bible, lean upon the Staff of God for inspiration.

Jacob “blessed the sons of Joseph… leaning upon his staff.”

The “Faith” chapter in Hebrews is referring to Jacob, a patriarch of the Old Testament.

The phrase, “leaning upon his staff” sums up the essence of Jacob’s life of following God. God was always his baton, whom he leaned on for strength and daily inspiration.

Although God gave Jacob many blessings, certain parts of his life were straight up difficult. Losing his son to Egypt, even while believing he was dead. Lying sons. Famine. Unable to conduct the business of obtaining grain for his family, while having to trust incompetent sons to do the job. The culmination of his fear when the Pharoah demanded he send his precious remaining son, Benjamin.

So Hebrews informing us that Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons “leaning upon his staff” actually suggests several things. We know he was old and needed the physical support for his failing strength. However, considering the fact the sentence is in the Faith chapter, the words take on new meaning.

Jacob needed the life-giving strength of the “Rod of God” to bless his grandsons.

And then he sags in awe, relief, wonder, joy, thankfulness and so much more when he leans upon his cane.

This is the “be” attitude that takes one to the presence of God:

A bowing of the head on a lowly rod in complete surrender to God’s will, a begging for blessing for his children and his children’s children, a final prayer of immense and intense gratitude for all blessings God bestowed during his long, eventful life.

Blessed With a “Be”-Attitude

I had a really quirky dad with a Jacob-patriarch sort of “Be”-Attitude.

He was a man who leaned upon the Staff-of-God. He lived a life that passed blessing to the next generation, and the next. In his last-days-feeble-voice as my niece was leaving his bedside for the last time, he whispered, “Let’s keep on pedaling.” Which she knew didn’t mean driving a two-wheeled bicycle. He was imparting his blessings to her and her family.

He was a man who began every prayer with “Our kind, gracious, heavenly Father…” And then he went on to “Be” the man who had a kind, gracious, heavenly Father. Strong, steady, leaning upon his Baton.

The “Be” Attitude

How can you be a blessing to those around you? If you’re a parent, you want your children to feel they have your blessing. Years ago, I read “The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance.” The book teaches how to pass on the biblical Blessing even if you didn’t receive it yourself from your own parents, and “to create a lifestyle of blessing others.”

Your family, your Church family, your neighbors and the community you live in should all feel a little of your inspiration.

This mildly embarrassing illustration emphasizes a “Be” attitude. One day while shopping in Walmart, a sweet, older gentleman leaned towards me in the canned goods aisle. He had a huge, lit smile on his face, and he gushed, “You are truly blessed among women.” While I did feel blessed to be recognized as a Child of God, it came across as a little over the top. There’s likely a less in-your-face way to be a blessing. However, it helped me realize that we all need some love and appreciation, even the strangers around us.

So what are ways to pass blessings on to others?

11 Ways to Help Others Feel Blessed

A quick list of ideas to get started:

1. Begin each day with gratitude. When you truly feel blessed, it naturally pours out of you.
2. Give thanks to God throughout the day. His name should never be far from your thoughts.
3. See and acknowledge God in everything.
4. Pray. Jesus communicated almost non-stop with His Father, interceding for one person or another.
5. When someone comes to mind, let them know. Send a note, a card, a handmade gift. Or simply wing a prayer for their safety and well-being.
6. You’re in line at Raising Cane’s and you tell the cashier you want to cover the tab for the person behind you. This happened to us, and what a warm rush that is.
7. Listen. When you ask someone how they are, pay attention to what they say. And perhaps, what they don’t say. So you can meet their inner need.
8. Encourage. Your loved ones, and strangers, need to feel you approve of their good efforts.
9. Take or uber a meal to a shut-in. Or offer to go grocery shopping for them.
10. Share what God has done for you.
11. Share what others have done to bless you. If you pass on how someone blessed you, the giver might hear about it and the blessing goes full circle.

How will you help someone feel blessed today?

May you be blessed as you go forth, leaning on God for inspiration.