Weekend Blessings

Yesterday, I officiated a wedding for a young couple. The groom's parents are members of my church.  After the ceremony, I had many come to me and tell me what a wonderful job I had done.  Because of my past, compliments humble me and I don't know how to deal with the feelings they produce sometimes.  I tear up because I feel so unworthy of praise.  A total stranger came to me and said "preacher, do you have a good message ready for tomorrow.  I said I have one ready sir, I hope it is good.  He said, I am going to stick around an extra day, come to the church just to hear you preach.  Today I preached on Giving.  I didn't preach on the giving of money, like some preahers do.  I preached on giving of love, giving of self, giving of time, giving of talents, giving of forgiveness, giving of praise, and giving of encouragement.  We had 96 in my little church today.  We are full at 100.  After the message, a man testified of how God had touched his life and how much he appreciated the message today and, what a blessing the message was to him.  I walked to where he was standing, shook his hand and, told him "sir, you have been a blessing to me".  This man was the same man who was at the wedding yesterday and had asked me if I had a good message ready.  As he left the church, he shook my hand, hugged me and said, "I am glad I stayed an extra day and heard you preach, what a blessing"! I have learned in 33 years as a minister, that if you want to receive, give.  If you want a Blessing, be a blessing.