The Lord's promise to Abram (Genesis 12) included a troubling caveat. Abram left his country, his kindred, and his father's house to go the land the Lord would show him. The Lord had promised to bless him and to make his name great so that he would be a blessing.

But that is not all the Lord said. The divine promise is not some naive, light-winded wish from a simple-minded optimist. That Lord has already had a long history with a humanity that regularly turns its back on the original blessing.

The Lord is a deep, down-in-the-dirt realist. He tells it like it is. So before Abram left home to venture out into an unknown future, the Lord added:

I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse....

What do you mean, "The one who curses you I will curse?"

Just what I said. The one who curses you I will curse.

You mean I am going to meet people in the promised land who are likely to curse me?

Yep.

So, if I step out on faith and press forward to embrace your promise it is not all going to be easy?

Nope.

Let me get this straight. Having you as my God -- the One who created the Sun, the moon and stars. The One who breathed his breath into Adam's nostrils and gave him life. The One who has authority over history. I leave everything I know. Everything that gives me security. Everything that makes me comfortable. I leave it all and you are not going to make it easy for me?

That's right.

When the one who curses me, uh...curses me. Will it hurt?

Most likely.

Can I strike back. Get resentful. Nurture a grudge. Curse him back?

Nope. That's the point. I said, "The one who curses you, I will curse." You don't worry about it. I'll take of it.

You'll take care of it?

That's right.

What do you want me to do?

Just share my blessing. I'll take care of the rest.

Okay. You're the boss. But just to let you know: So far, since I have been in Ashburn, I haven't encountered any cursing yet. It has been blessing every step of the way.

So far so good.