Have you ever been told “God bless you”? It’s a nice thing to be told, but for some, it can be a bit confusing as knowing what to say back isn’t always simple. Today, we’ll give you some ideas about polite and funny ways that you can reply to “God bless you”.
What Does It Mean When People Say “God Bless You”?
For someone to be blessed, is for God to give them good things. This might mean physical riches (money), or good health and happiness. “Bless you”, is the wish that God will grant you an easier life. But today, it’s seen more as a formality than a wish.
“God bless you”, is often said when someone finds someone else sweet, cute, or charming- such as children or animals. They are seen as weak but lovable, and should be protected from the world’s evils. The usage of “God bless you” suggests that they want God to look over them as they are too pure and innocent to understand just how evil the world can be.
But, another time when people may say “God bless you” is when you have done something wrong. It is not a condonation of what you have done, but a showing that they are a better person than you are by forgiving you, and turning the other cheek. They do not wish harm to come upon you, but they want God to forgive you for what you have done.
Back to the good stuff now. If you do something good for someone, they may give you a “bless you”. This is to say that because you have done something good for them, they want God to return the favour by doing something good for you.
And the final time that someone might say “God bless you” is just after you sneeze. Today, this is mainly done out of tradition. But, in the past, a sneeze could be a sign of serious illness. So, by saying “bless you” people were making it clear that they hoped God would grant them immunity from whatever it was that caused them to suffer.
Polite Replies
1. Thank You. You Too.
A simple and uncomplicated response. You hope for them to be blessed too.
This is a great option for when you don’t want to over complicate things.
2. He Already Has.
Gratitude is always a good thing. By using this response, you are making clear that you are already blessed and do not want anything else given to you.
3. (Say Nothing, Just Smile)
There will be times in life when the best thing to say is simply nothing at all. Sometimes, a smile says more than words ever could.
4. Peace Be With You
Wishing peace upon someone is always nice. You want their life to be free of stress and commotion. Who wouldn’t want peace to be upon them? “Peace be with you” could be ideal if you are not religious, but you don’t want to offend people who are.
5. May You Always Be In His Presence
If you believe that God is always with us, then by using this response, you are making clear to the other person that you want him to always be on their side and look down upon them.
6. May His Goodness Shine To You
If you believe that God is always with us, then by using this response, you are making clear to the other person that you want him to always be on their side and look down upon them.
7. May Heaven Grant Your Wish
Perhaps you’re going through a rough time, and you would also like for God to bless you. This is a nice reply as it’s not bragging or too demanding, but you are acknowledging your struggle, and you wish for it to be quelled with the help of God.
8. He Blessed Me When He Sent His Son To Die For Me
This is another great one as it puts gratitude at the forefront. You’re not asking for a lot, instead, you’re focusing on what you already have- in this case, salvation.
9. May He Bless Us All
It’s one thing that you want the other person to be blessed. But if you want everyone else to be blessed too, then that’s even better. It shows a level of gratitude, humility, and selflessness.
10. I Pray That Your Wish Be Granted
Again, if you have any sort of trouble in your life, you might be the sort of person who likes to pray for things to get better. If two people want God to make something happen, there is a higher likelihood that he will listen.
Funny Replies
11. He Already Did When He Gave Me A Massive Ding Dong
A funny joke that implies you are already blessed because God has given you a massive p*nis. Whether it’s true or not, it’s still funny.
12. So Long As That Doesn’t Mean Improving My Behaviour
Some people are of the view that in order to be blessed, we have to act in a certain way. You might want to joke that if being blessed means having to change how you act, you’d rather not bother.
13. And May Odin Bless You
Odin is, of course, a fictional Norse god. And by bringing him up after a reference to the Judaeo-Christian God you are making a joke about religion in general.
14. Thanks, I Need All The Help I Can Get
Maybe you like to joke about all of the failures in life. The joke here is that you are such a failure, you need God to help you as much as he can.
15. (Act Like It Burns)
A great option for those who are good at acting. The implication here is that you are some kind of vampire and to be blessed is very painful.
16. Trust Me. He’s Tried
Maybe your shortcomings are your fault. In which case, you can joke about how even though God has given you all the blessings you need, you have failed on your own accord.
17. And God Bless The F*gs
Extreme religious people might say things like “God hates f*gs” (gay people). So by asking him to bless them, you show the love of God rather than the hatred of some of his believers.
18. Not If Baal Gets To Me First
Baal is an ancient fictional God. By referencing him, you make the joke that God cannot bless you if another god gets to you first.
19. When Did You Go Soft?
Maybe it’s been said by someone who wouldn’t normally say that kind of thing. In which case, you can joke about their newfound kindness.
20. Why Would He Do That?
Perhaps you don’t deserve to be blessed. This is a funny way of pointing that out.
21. Well, Could You Tell Him To Hurry Up!
You don’t want to be blessed when the time is right. You want to be blessed right now. This is a funny way of making that clear.
How To Choose Between A Funny And A Polite Reply
If you’re ever unsure about whether to respond politely or humorously to “God bless you”, you first need to think about how well you know this person. Someone you know will have a better idea of your sense of humour than someone who you don’t.
You should also think about how religious they are. For some people, joking about their religion can be offensive. Yet, for others, even some religious folk won’t be bothered about jokes made at their expense. If you are joking about, it should be safe. But if the rest of the conversation has been serious, you should think more carefully about what you’re saying.
If they are religious, be aware of which one. Someone who follows a polytheistic religion will be less likely to be offended than a Jew, Christian, or Muslim.
If the two of you know each other, and there is already banter flowing, you might want to use one of the funny responses. The last thing you will want to do is bring the laughter to a halt by being serious. Just go along with the joke.
Most of the time, deciding whether to reply with something polite or funny is down to just common sense. You may need to assess the situation or the person you’re talking to. Because you don’t want to upset anyone, but you also don’t want to stop a situation from being funny.
Conclusion
Someone will rarely say “God bless you” with mean intentions, it’s a nice phrase that means people wish you well. So, don’t worry too much about “one upping” them. Instead, focus more on being nice and making them feel happy.
We hope this article has been useful. And next time, someone says “God bless you”, you won’t be left stranded, not knowing what you ought to say in response.
You may also like: 11 Better Ways To Say “God Bless You”
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.