- Aug 10, 2015
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So something at happened at noon today in the MidDay Eucharist sparked my memory.
I was thinking about how we approach new people, how we make that impression of allowing Christ to show through us, human imperfections and all, in such a way that others would see.
What would we do if we had no words, but only a minute to make a positive impression, the kind that leads to a person saying "I want to be where you are"
SO I was thinking of some novel I read years ago, one of Vonnegut's satires, I don;t even remember the title but it is not important. What was important is a character, a military leader, who claims that he has never done two things in his life. One is use profanity. This character states that as such, he has to address men daily in important matters. If he were to use foul language, then someone might be offended and choose not to listen to what he has to say. And what he has to say MIGHT be the very thing that saves one of their lives someday. So, as such, he wants attention when he talks and will do nothing to turn someone away.
Back to today. What have we done today to show and demonstrate ourselves and the Love of Christ through us onto the world around us? Did we do it in our tithes, with material goods, helping the less fortunate with alms and donations? Did we do it by offering help to others who need it most? Did we do it simply by acknowledging a person : showing interest in them for a minute, and letting our demeanor and our nature show to them that we are interested in them, their stories, their needs and their life?
If we have an opportunity to reach out to someone, to help someone, to minister to someone, and we have only a moment, let us use that moment to take full advantage of that good first impression. let us strive to show Christ living through us, through positive radiant love and Peace, that the person will see not us, but Christ living and working through us.
Amen
I was thinking about how we approach new people, how we make that impression of allowing Christ to show through us, human imperfections and all, in such a way that others would see.
What would we do if we had no words, but only a minute to make a positive impression, the kind that leads to a person saying "I want to be where you are"
SO I was thinking of some novel I read years ago, one of Vonnegut's satires, I don;t even remember the title but it is not important. What was important is a character, a military leader, who claims that he has never done two things in his life. One is use profanity. This character states that as such, he has to address men daily in important matters. If he were to use foul language, then someone might be offended and choose not to listen to what he has to say. And what he has to say MIGHT be the very thing that saves one of their lives someday. So, as such, he wants attention when he talks and will do nothing to turn someone away.
Back to today. What have we done today to show and demonstrate ourselves and the Love of Christ through us onto the world around us? Did we do it in our tithes, with material goods, helping the less fortunate with alms and donations? Did we do it by offering help to others who need it most? Did we do it simply by acknowledging a person : showing interest in them for a minute, and letting our demeanor and our nature show to them that we are interested in them, their stories, their needs and their life?
If we have an opportunity to reach out to someone, to help someone, to minister to someone, and we have only a moment, let us use that moment to take full advantage of that good first impression. let us strive to show Christ living through us, through positive radiant love and Peace, that the person will see not us, but Christ living and working through us.
Amen
