Mt 3:13-17
13Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” 15Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. 16After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. 17And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased: This is the highest form of blessing a person may receive! In fact, it will always reverberate in the heart of Jesus. He carries this blessing in all his teachings. It sustains him even while dying on the cross—that he has a loving Father who has blessed him and is pleased with him. John also blesses Jesus by speaking well of him.
We want people to bless us. When we feel blessed, we can do anything, face anyone, and survive anyhow. And the challenge is not to wait for this blessing. Our calling is to bless one another with our love, our presence, and our assurance. We are to help and inspire one another.
We have been blessed by the Lord. We continue to receive his blessing every day of our lives. It is our turn to bless others now—speak well of others, recognize their capabilities, discover their goodness, and tell them so. And then we can share in their glow as they stand proud.