Bless Others with JOY

             Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Your faithful example will be a blessing to those who are looking to you as a role model.

            Whatever stage of life you are in, you are an influence on someone!  If you are a parent or a grandparent or a great grandparent, your children are looking to you for an example.  Many of you are brothers or sisters, aunts or uncles…and all of us are friends of young people who are modeling themselves after us---whether they even realize it or not.

            We need to live each moment of every day with the heart and mind-set that we should be a blessing to whoever is watching.  Need a little help in knowing how to do that?  How do we bless others?

• By praying for them!  Let them know that they can depend on you to pray with them and for them.  Pray for them even when they don’t seem to care if you are praying for them.
• Encourage them! A pat on the back and an uplifting word can make such a difference in a person’s attitude and choices.
• Explain to them that they are special and God has a wonderful plan for them.
• Show them, by your own example, the JOY of pursuing God’s best plan in life.
• Spend time with them, taking care to expose the truths of the Bible and demonstrating how to apply those truths! *

When we live out these very practical disciplines, we will discover the power of  blessing… both in our own lives and in the lives of our children and all those who are looking to us for guidance.  Ask God’s JOYful blessing on these dear ones who look to you as an example.

            Be a blessing to someone today by drinking your JOY JUICE and sharing God’s love.

*Claude Thomas is pastor of First Baptist Church in Euless, Texas. For more of Dr. Thomas' resources, visit LifePoints at www.discoverfirst.org
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