Now, if I KNOW someone is going to be riding in my vehicle, I usually stop by the car wash, wipe it down, and vacuum it out. But on this particular day, there was no forewarning nor time to prepare for my guest, so you pretty much get what you get in a case like that. I’m not so prideful that I would turn down my friend when she needed a ride, but I did feel the need to preface her entry into my vehicle with a quick warning…So I gave her the answer we all give when we’re embarrassed, “Sure, I’ll take you, but my car is a complete mess. So don’t look too closely!”
Then came the humiliating moment when she opened the door and promptly brushed off the seat with her hand before sitting on it! Oh wow. That actually just happened. Now, that probably would have been okay, but she followed it up by saying, “Oh, I didn’t realize you let your dogs ride with you.”
At that I was like, “Wait…what? I haven’t had the dogs in here,” to which she shot me a look that said, “Uhhhmmm…Okay then. Yeah. Right. *wink-wink*”
But it was true! There was definitely a ton of dust on the dash, maybe some mud on the mat, and perhaps even some french-fry salt in that seat…but I hadn’t had my dogs in the vehicle for ages! However, upon closer inspection, I discovered she was right. There WAS dog hair on the seat!
So right about now, I realize that many of you are deciding that you NEVER, EVER want to ride with me ANYWHERE, and some of you may even be making some assumptions about my overall housekeeping skills. Whatever. That is so not the point. The point is, I really hadn’t had my dogs in the vehicle, but there it was…dog hair. How did that get there?!
Later, I realized that the dog hair had come from my family members. It had attached itself to our clothing when we were at home–loving our furry, little family members–and when we got into the vehicle, the evidence our our love came with us.
So why am I telling you this completely humiliating story? Because it made me realize something…While we may not recognize it, the evidence of our actions travel with us, making it easy for others to see what we’ve been doing and where we’ve been spending our time.
On one side of the coin, you have this: Have you ever heard of someone who “just knew” their spouse was cheating on them? Have you ever looked at someone and “just known” they were hurting lying, or so filled with shame that it made your heart hurt for them? Now, you can’t actually “see” these things with your eyes, but we can see the evidence of these things through a person’s countenance. If we spend our time trying to find fulfillment in the wrong places, mulling over seemingly insurmountable circumstances, or dwelling in places of insecurity, it’s going to show. We may think we’re hiding the truth behind a false smile, but people of discernment can see right through our thinly-guised facades.
But on the flip side…Have you ever seen someone so full of the joy of the Lord they were almost glowing? What about someone who is so secure in Christ that they seem unshakable or the person who is so full of faith that they make you feel encouraged by just being around them? If you’re spending time in the Word, praying, and seeking Jesus, it’s going to show. Like a light on a hill, you will shine before men because of where (and with Whom) you are spending your time.
So the question is…where are you spending your time and what kind of remnants are being left in your wake as a testimony to others? Because it DOES show and it CAN make a difference in the lives of those who are coming up behind us. It’s my prayer that today begins a day where we take a fresh look at the influence of our daily lives and we all purpose to pursue God in such a passionate, consistent way that His love leaves a distinct mark upon everything and every life that we touch from this day forward.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)
220 Gal 