“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’”

— Luke 10:5

A few years ago there was a social media trend in which people posted good things about themselves and tagged them with “#blessed.” I did a search of “#blessed” and got 140 million results. Everything from pictures of people holding babies, to nice cars and beaches. And about 100 million selfies.

We tend to think of being blessed in terms of material blessings. But that’s not what Jesus teaches. In fact, part of being a witness to Jesus is to bring his blessing of God’s love and good news wherever we go. This is our mission.

We see this clearly in Luke 10. Jesus sent 72 of his followers to bring the good news of God’s kingdom to the people in nearby towns and villages. And when they entered people’s homes and communities, they were to declare peace on them and say, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” The Savior has come! Salvation and hope are here!

These blessings are still what God offers us and the world today. And like those 72 followers, we are called to bring peace and to announce the good news wherever we go. May Jesus equip us with his Spirit to be his faithful witnesses, sharing his blessings with the people we meet today.

Jesus, it can be daunting to live into the words of this passage. Thank you that we are not alone. Pour your blessings on us so that we can share them with others wherever we go today. Amen.