By Elisabeth Strillacci

We all have our own faiths, our own beliefs, and I think that’s wonderful. An essential part of America. Believe what speaks to your heart, your upbringing, your own personal faith.

That’s not what my words are about this week, but I did need to establish that.

I happen to be one who follows, fairly well, the God of the King James Bible. So my column this week is about the words those of us often use who follow that.

So often these days, we speak of being blessed by God, and we speak of it in degrees — we are so blessed, more blessed, immensely blessed, etc.

This is just my humble opinion, but we need to reassess that statement.

Because when I read the Bible, I read that we are all blessed, to the same degree, by the love of God.

I am no more blessed than you or anyone else. Nor am I less so. We all enjoy the blessing of God’s love and care.

I think we mean something a bit different.

I think we actually mean to say we are grateful for all the good that comes into our lives.

I also think we need to remember how what we say affects others. If I talk about all my blessings, all the things God has blessed me with, how does that make someone else feel who perhaps is not as fortunate? Are they not loved as much by God? Are they not entitled to the same gifts, blessings, that I enjoy? Of course they are. So maybe that really isn’t quite what we mean.

We are all born with blessings, gifts, talents, abilities. But we are all also born into different circumstances. Some of us are able to make more of our gifts than others, for a variety of reasons.

But let’s not discount that basic tenant that we are all loved, equally, by God.

And to be honest, we need to give ourselves a bit of credit. We work hard for our successes. It is not God doing the work, it is us. Granted we are using the gifts we have been given, but there is nothing wrong in quietly celebrating our own efforts.

And it is always going to be important that we remember others hear what we say, and it is human nature to compare ourselves. The last thing I would want to do is make someone else feel less than because I am crowing about my “blessings.” If I work hard for a promotion and get it, that is not a blessing granted by God without any effort from me because somehow God determines I am more deserving. It is because I have worked and put forth the effort and shown the ability. Sometimes when we talk about blessings we phrase it so it sounds like all the good and success in our lives come directly from God, and that just is not accurate.

Do not misunderstand me and think I am saying we should not show gratitude to God, if that is what we believe. I am in fact saying exactly that — show gratitude, but remember that is what it is.

God’s love is not a lottery some win and others don’t. We all have a winning ticket from the start. It’s what we do with the winnings, the love, that matters.

These days when people ask how life’s going, I am trying to consciously choose to say I am grateful for the good things in my life, instead of saying how blessed I am. Because that is truly what I mean — I am grateful beyond measure for the love of my God, a blessing every one of us shares.

Elisabeth Strillacci is former editor of the Salisbury Post.