Interesting article - one thing Christians should stop saying

I was quite struck by this article, which I've quoted in part. \\

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-dannemiller/christians-should-stop-saying_b_4868963.html

FTA:

Last year was the best year yet for my business.

Things are looking busy in 2014.

But that is not a blessing.

I've noticed a trend among Christians, myself included, and it troubles me. Our rote response to material windfalls is to call ourselves blessed. Like the "amen" at the end of a prayer.

"This new car is such a blessing."

"Finally closed on the house. Feeling blessed."

"Just got back from a mission trip. Realizing how blessed we are here in this country."

On the surface, the phrase seems harmless. Faithful even. Why wouldn't I want to give God the glory for everything I have? Isn't that the right thing to do?

And some more:

Second, and more importantly, calling myself blessed because of material good fortune is just plain wrong. For starters, it can be offensive to the hundreds of millions of Christians in the world who live on less than $10 per day. You read that right. Hundreds of millions who receive a single-digit dollar "blessing" per day.

It's worth a read, and even more to chew it over. Thoughts?

I know rich folks who use language like this...and the testimony of people who have had business dealing with them say they are hard to deal with - hard driving negotiators, manipulators. If these others were not Believers it would be enough to test the faith of a poorer person. I don't know if this is always the case, but have heard it too many times.

Good article, IMO.

The words themselves are not wrong to say because clearly it is right and good to thank God for all things big and small. To the Christian, the word "blessed" means favored by God. To acknowledge His favor in even giving the air that we breathe is altogether the right thing to do. The ungrateful and unthankful heart is vain and foolish.

The real issue is the motive behind the words; if temporal blessings are all I am thankful for then obviously something is lacking. We know that the blessedness that Jesus spoke of in the Beatitudes reflects the deepest Christian ideals of mercy, spirituality, and compassion. Truly the man or woman in Jesus Christ is the favored one of God for eternity.

In Christ,

Ron

i have often thought of the things God provides in my daily life as a blessing. i realize i do not give thanks often enough though. i think there is nothing wrong with giving thanks but as i grown in Jesus i am seeing that nice house, good job, good health, ect are not the only blessings He gives. sometimes He uses a difficult situation to teach a lesson that draws me closer to Him and that can be a blessing, even more so then any physical item.

i don't think the term blessing should ever be used in a manner of boasting as Ron talked about the motive in the heart makes all the difference.

rdg