Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

First of all, I would not question the motives of people who say such things, or get into a theological debate with them. I would regard them as simply using a conventional expression that is meant to convey good wishes from their perspective to the person addressed, without regard to that person's personal perception of his current state of blessedness.

However, I would also dispute the contention in the question that "being blessed" isn't really up to us. A great deal depends upon conscious choices we make as to how we will approach and process the normal ups downs of everyday life (even if we view God, through His permissive or directive will, as the ultimate source of those events).

There are some people who, because of their particular predisposition, would be able to find something negative in even the most positive of situations (whether they do so from a religious perspective or not). And there are others who, although they might be in what objective observers would regard as the worst of circumstances, can still consistently find ways in which the situation can be viewed positively and put to constructive use (again, whether or not they might have a religion-based reason for doing so).

To me, this is confirmed by the repeated exhortations of Paul to the members of the congregations to which he wrote his epistles (as in Philippians 4:4, for example) to rejoice at all times and in all things, even though they might be facing ostracism, persecution, and physical danger for their beliefs.

Also, to me, being a Christian, and knowing Christ, makes it that much easier to maintain that orientation, because, regardless of anything that occurs in this life, Christians have the assurance that they are going to live forever with God.

November 27 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

"Have a blessed day" is just a greeting made in the form of a blessing. The person making the statement is speaking a blessing over the life of the hearer. The hearer has no power to produce the reality of the blessing, and neither does the person speaking the blessing have power to make anything positive occur in anyone's life. It's actually a request made to God to bless the person.

Also, it could be said to remind the hearer that he/she can make their own day go better. They can determine themselves to have a blessed day. 

This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24)

Matt 5:48 records Jesus telling His disciples "You will be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Did His declaration make them perfect, or was He simply speaking a blessing of spiritual perfection in the estimation of God the Father? I think He meant that the Father would esteem them as perfect because of their relationship with the Son, the One speaking this blessing over their lives.

When someone says to a person 'be blessed,' they are declaring that the person is being blessed by the benediction itself. "A word spoken in due season, how good it is",(Prov 15:23). 

We have more power than we realize. The words of a man's mouth are deep waters (Prov 18:4).
Proverbs 18:21 says 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.' The first stanza of this scripture is often repeated, while the last line is usually omitted, which robs the scripture of it's real meaning. What does Solomon mean when he says 'and those who love it will eat its fruit?' Love what? He means those who love to use their tongue will have to live off of what their words produce, whether the product is bitter or sweet (Life or Death). The previous verse, vs 20, says it also. It states, 'A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth.'
He doesn't mean "content" when he says satisfied, he means "fulfilled." And by stomach the bible means the man's "spiritual internal resovoir," his "gut." Translation: He will have to eat (stomach) what his mouth produces. 

Does saying 'good luck' to a person bring them good fortune? Let's turn it around. What if you said to the person, 'I hope you fail?' Would that affect their outcome? Obviously one is better to be said and to be heard. 

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. (He means when the fruit of their lips is produced, here in the now, not the "Day of Judgment"). For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matt 12: 35-37)

Jesus isn't talking about final judgment, the way many have taught this to mean. He's explaining how serious our words are. What we let come out of our mouths reveals more about us than anything else we do. That's the point He's trying to drive home. You can't talk your way into (justify yourself) or out of (condemn yourself) heaven (eternal life). The tongue doesn't have that kind of power. 

"Have a blessed day" is a way of saying to a person, I hope God blesses your life today," no more, no less.

Be blessed!

November 23 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report