…the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

2 Kings 4:32b

Don’t waste a good sneeze.

In ancient times, people believed that in the act of sneezing, evil was at risk of either entering or leaving the body. Saying “God Bless You” was a way of protecting you from anything demonic. Nowadays, it’s just a habit people picked up along the way. People say “bless you” without a thought.

As habits go, it’s a pretty awesome one! How many other opportunities do you have to offer God’s blessing on a total stranger, without them looking at you strangely or even being offended? We don’t have the same old concept of a demon popping out of our noses, but the concept of blessing has endured.

In 2 Kings, the prophet Elisha repays the kindness of a woman by promising her she would have a child. Years later, that child died, but Elisha came in, pressed his body against the boy’s body, and after the boy sneezed 7 times, the boy came back to life. That must have been one heck of a “bless you!”

When we offer a blessing to someone, it’s rarely an attempt to save someone, but it can be an opportunity to prayerfully call upon God’s grace to touch a person’s life. That’s a great way to live, always prepared to bless those around you. It reminds you that every sneeze comes from a child of God. It’s not just being polite–it’s being evangelical! And it goes both ways.

I have sneezed in supermarkets, on airplanes, in church, all kinds of places, and I’m amazed at how often perfect strangers are willing to bless me. When this happens to you, be sure to say “Thank you”. All you did was expel some foreign matter from your nose, but in return you’ve been blessed! It’s among the greatest transactions a person can make.

For God’s sake, don’t pass up the opportunity to bless somebody else. They may think nothing of it, but you can say it with meaning. It’s a free gift and means more than we typically realize. The good news is that everybody sneezes, which means everyone is deserving of a blessing.

The nice thing about it is that for every blessing you give…

one will eventually come

right back *achoo*.

Have a great week,

Mitch