“Show that you are a letter from Christ…written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”                       (II Corinthians 3:3)

How often do you stop and consider the effect you have on the lives of those around you? It is easy to forget that most people are able to sense our moods and/or our feelings when they interact with us. A long time ago, I made a habit out of smiling and greeting people wherever I go. Whether walking through the grocery store, or waiting at the DMV, I take time to connect in some way with those around me. What I have found is that about 98% of the time, I get back what I give in those moments.

In today’s society, we spend more time looking at our phones and various other devices than we do at one another. Human beings, by nature, crave connection and companionship. That is how God designed us to be. He created us to love and learn from one another. He created us to extend grace and forgiveness to those who seek it with a contrite heart, just as we are forgiven by Him and remain loved time and time again. With the advancement of technology, the enemy has made it easy for us to disconnect and hide from each other, instead. Even the dissolution of relationships is happening via texts and emails. Consider the number of relationships that might be saved, if those involved would choose to sit and talk things through instead of hide behind technology.

Conversely, we can choose to connect and grow closer through the same medium that can create a distance between us. As with everything in our lives, however, we must be careful to use such things in a way that invites the spirit of God into our lives, and watchful of ways the enemy will turn those things into weapons against us in an effort to destroy our lives. When we choose to communicate primarily via technology, our relationships can become very ephemeral. God is never more present than when two believers who truly care about one another sit and talk face to face. You can be sure this is the last thing Satan wants us to choose to do.

People who come into our lives, especially those who are put there intentionally by God to serve His purposes, leave imprints on our hearts. When we truly love someone with the spirit of Christ, we are writing the spirit of Christ onto their hearts and souls with the very love we offer them. There is nothing more powerful than the love of God. By choosing to accept His love, and to love Him fully in return, we are choosing to be vessels of His love into the lives of others. We become more open and able to do His will, injecting His love like spiritual medicine into the hearts of those in need.

I can think back over my life and see very clearly those whom God placed in my life for the very purpose of spreading His love like a safety net around my soul. My incredible daddy, who has taught me about love and integrity and generosity. My 8th grade English teacher, who sparked my love of writing, and has my love and deepest admiration to this day. My best friends in 5th grade, who allowed me to play Charlie’s Angels with them, and made me feel like I belonged at a time when I didn’t feel I belonged anywhere at all. My very best friend, who became my sister, and who I can honestly say I love more than I love myself. My wonderful husband, who knows me in a way only God could make possible, and who chooses to love me with all his heart every single day. The list goes on and on. I have known more incredible people in my life than I can possibly count, and each one has left a letter from Christ written deep in my heart.

It is because of all of those people that I became a person who wants to do for others what they have done for me. Each day I wake up and choose God. Each day I ask Him to protect my heart and mind, and show me where I’m needed and how He wants me to help. And each day I wake up and ask Him to soften the hearts of those I’ve hurt, that they may forgive me and allow me to write a new letter from Christ on their hearts.

As you go through your day today, make an effort to look outside yourself and your own hurts. Make an effort to genuinely connect with people around you. You’ll be surprised at how easily you can have a conversation with a total stranger in the aisle of the grocery store, all because you took the time to look them in the eyes and smile. You never know which life God needs you to touch today. But one thing is for certain…you’ll never know if you don’t ask, and then actually look and listen for the answer.