Velsignelser

It was a chilly Saturday in the fall. Cloudy with a fairly brisk north wind. The leaves were blowing off the trees covering the tired, brown grass which had already proclaimed it was done growing for the year. The dark green and bright yellow playground equipment at the park across the street sat empty. The hints of winter were becoming less subtle each day.

The mom and her two sons were outside working. Cars passed by. A few were preoccupied with a college football game. Some looked and didn’t think twice. Others thought a three year old boy helping a nine year old boy helping their mother is what life is pretty much all about. The mom and the boys planted bulb after bulb after bulb. Hundreds of them.

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. -2 Corinthians 9:6

Winter is harsh in Nebraska. And the winter lived up to its billing. Bitter cold, ice, a frozen north wind, snow, short days, more snow, long nights, and even more snow. Meanwhile the bulbs patiently waited nine inches underground.

The original Greek text reads, επ' ευλογίαις, which in English translates as bountiful, generous, full measure, and blessing. None of these words quite capture the meaning of the Greek word. All of them together don’t quite capture the meaning of the Greek word. The Norwegian translation of επ' ευλογίαις is velsignelser. This word is sacred and holy to the Norwegian. It has nothing to do with being polite or nice or lucky or rich. It has everything to do with God: healing, hope, humility, and holiness; generosity and grace; friendship, faith, forgiveness, and freedom. It’s simple according to God: give some of this stuff away and get a lot of it back. Bless others and get blessed in return. 

The days are getting longer. The rain occasionally falls. The sun feels a little warmer. The tulips break through the dirt and the daffodils grow toward the sky. Winter has suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of spring. The gardens are filled with brilliant colors. Picasso, van Gogh, Warhol never brushed a paint stroke that could even come close to God’s masterpiece. Yellow, purple, orange, red, and blue in all their splendor.

The mom and her two boys go and play in the yard. The dad tags along too. Between going down the slide, rolling down the hill in the backyard, and kicking the soccer ball around, both the kids and the parents can’t help but stop and look at the flowers. The cars, even the distracted drivers, slow down and take a second look.

Plant bulbs and get flowers. But you know, Paul wasn’t talking about flowers. He was talking about people. Give velsignelser and receive velsignelser. Invest in others. Bounty and blessing are the reward.

The best is yet to come…

Craig