Bless.

So far this season, we've been a blessing to strangers, we've been a blessing to each other, and we continue to reflect on the blessing God has been to us. This just brings up one more thing, that I hope we can focus on:

How are we being a blessing to our "enemies" or our opponents?

We have a big match coming up this weekend, against a strong Sectional opponent. We certainly are going to do our best to defeat them. But how do we bless them despite our efforts to win? It's an important question, and Jesus brings up it's implications in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:43-47:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

If we bless only those we know (the tennis team and school around us) then what good, what excellence are we really displaying? Christ-likeness often means going beyond the normal and the expected. I don't have an answer as to how we bless those we play against. I think a good start is honesty and fairness, but we might be presented with the opportunity to do more. Let's make sure we take advantage of that.