I own and have read most of Mark Batterson’s books. Like Batterson, I am an avid reader and I enjoy learning new things. I like books that make me think. I like books that give me fresh insight. But most of all, I like books that challenge and inspire me to grow by taking positive action. Double Blessing: How to Get It. How to Give It is just such a book ($11.99 for the Kindle edition on Amazon).
Before Original Sin, There Was Original Blessing
Batterson insists, “Blessing is God’s default setting – His first and foremost reflex.” Starting with Genesis 1:28 Batterson works his way through the Scripture tracing the “thread” of God’s blessing all the way to the end of the book of Revelation. He explains,
The blessing of God is the solution to your biggest problem, the answer to your boldest prayer, and the fulfillment of your bravest dream . . . But make no mistake—the endgame is not getting but giving! God doesn’t bless us to raise our standard of living. God blesses us to raise our standard of giving.
The Habits Of Highly Blessed People
The first half of the book deals with how to be a person that God can and will bless. Below is a brief summary of what Batterson calls the seven “habits of highly blessed people.”
- Obedience. “There is no better way to position ourselves for God’s blessing than good old-fashioned obedience . . . fully obey the Lord and carefully follow His commands. Instead of looking for loopholes . . . go the extra mile.”
- Excellence. “Jesus crafted furniture the way He treated people—with great care. It doesn’t matter whether you work a white-collar or blue-collar or no-collar job; it’s our utmost for His highest. Excellence invokes a blessing, and blessing evokes excellence.”
- Humility. “God won’t bless whom you pretend to be! Your disguises may fool everyone else, but they deflect the blessing of God. You know whom God is able to bless? Those who have the humility and courage to be themselves, without pretense.”
- Integrity. “If you have to compromise your integrity for an opportunity, it’s not an opportunity. That’s called temptation. Don’t sacrifice the favor of God for the promotion of man . . . Eventually, integrity will catapult you far beyond maneuvering or manipulating.”
- Generosity. “If you cultivate a double-blessing mindset that is focused on flipping every blessing, you better buckle your seat belt. Why? Because God is going to open the windows of heaven and pour out more blessing than you can contain.”
- Creativity. “What acts of kindness have altered your life? Who went out of their way to help you? . . . start brainstorming how you can flip those blessings. Sometimes it’s as simple as doing to others what has been done to you. But don’t be afraid to get creative and put your unique fingerprint on it.”
- Praise God for Partial Miracles. “If you want to experience the whole miracle, try praising God for partial miracles! What’s a partial miracle? It’s a small step in the right direction!”
Guidelines For Flipping The Blessing
The second half of the book is an exposition on how to be a person who generously blesses other people. Batterson calls this “flipping the blessing.” He insists,
Money issues are heart issues. God does not need your money . . . But He wants your heart, and He cannot have one without the other! . . . He loves to bless those who He knows will flip the blessing. And I’m confident of this: you cannot outgive God. Of course, it sure is fun trying!
Here are a few teaching points that stood out to me.
- Beware Of Greed. “A scarcity mentality operates out of fear rather than faith, and it nets greed rather than gratitude.”
- Don’t Wait Until You Are Ready. “At some point, you’ve got to quit making excuses . . . pick up the plow and start seeding the soil . . . faith also goes first, and it doesn’t matter whether anyone else follows suit. Faith is the willingness to go it alone.”
- Prayer Is Writing History Before It Happens. “It’s the difference between letting things happen and making things happen. It’s the difference between us fighting for God and God fighting for us!”
- Opportunity Cost. Opportunity cost is “the loss of potential gain, often because of indecision or inaction . . . If you stay in the boat, you’ll never walk on water! . . . Potential is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.”
- Don’t Let Possessions Possess You. “Your greatest asset will become your greatest liability if you don’t use it for God’s purposes . . . God doesn’t bless selfishness. If the blessing stops with you, it’ll eventually stop altogether!”
- Success Defined.“Dr. Robert Rhoden, defines success by making a wonderful distinction. The world measures success by how much money you make and how many people serve you. In God’s kingdom, it’s the exact opposite. Success is measured by how much you give and how many people you serve.”
The Blessing Challenge
The last few lines of chapter 16 provide a clear challenge and capsule summary of the core teaching woven throughout the entire book:
Blessing is yours for the asking, but the only way to keep it is to give it away. . . The secret of the double blessing is simple: you get it by giving it. This isn’t a book you read. This is a book you do. Whom will you bless today? How will you bless them? What are you waiting for?