Deuteronomy 30:16   ¹⁶ If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the LORD your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.

Why should we obey the commandments of the Lord? The scriptures tell us it is in order to receive God’s blessing. How do those blessings come? Are they simply special blessings that miraculously appear? Or could it be that when we follow the principles God has commanded that we will live lives that will be a blessing not only to us but to all those we encounter.

Living by Biblical principles requires treating others with respect: treating others as we would want to be treated. It is forgiving others when they make mistakes, even hurtful ones, because we would hope to be forgiven. It means asking for forgiveness when we do something hurtful to others, because we would like to receive apologies. It means avoiding those situations that would cause us to hurt others. It means a life of worshipful, loving, serving, compassion. When we live this kind of life, we will most certainly be blessed.

O Lord, help us to live by your commandments so that we might be blessed by them. Amen.