Bless You?

Someone sneezes and you quickly respond with, "Bless you!" What the heck does that mean, really? "Hope you didn't get any on you!" or what?!?

Seriously, people of every faith and no stated faith toss the word bless around like we actually know what it means. "Well, we're really blessed!" So, does that mean we have lots of good stuff, a family with no problems, friends who think we're great, good health, all of the above, or what? "Her prayers were answered; what a blessing!" So God likes her, right? Is that what blessing means.

Maybe the place to start isn't with a definition, but with personal experience. So, do you feel blessed right now? If so, why? If not, why not?

The original Hebrew means something like, "to bend the knee." That is, to give honor to someone of great worth and value. According to the faith history to which I adhere, God once told a couple named Abram and Sarai that he would bless them so that all people could be blessed through them. Jesus followers believe he is the culmination of that very promise of blessing.

So, again, what does it mean to be blessed? I'll see you around the next bend in the river.