I believe with all my heart that touching lives is the single most important thing we can do – every day. Today is not only the first day of your life… it could be the last, how do you want it to be remembered? What do you want to ‘accomplish’? What’s important? I would argue that touching lives is without question the most important focus of our day and IS being about our Father’s business. But ‘Touching Lives’ includes MORE than leading someone to a saving knowledge and accepting the Lord. Remember that His Commission talked about ‘making disciples’ – that’s our responsibility every day whether by correction or discovery helping others when and where we can and living our lives, to the best of our ability, according to this standard.
Today is my 80th birthday. So… maybe I’m more aware (concerned about? or focused on?) about how I do my ‘today’ than other people(?). Shouldn’t be so. Each day is our ‘today’ and how we use it is critical. But doing your ‘today’ shouldn’t be stressful, your focus should be on what’s at your hand… and then do that. If you focus on your today purpose, you’ll not feel you may have missed it… because you won’t. The ‘at hand’ doesn’t need to be dramatic… sometimes a smile can be the best thing you do in the day. Also, probably the reality is that yes, there will be times you do miss it. But your focus shouldn’t be looking backward, but forward. My brother always told me, when we were out golfing, that simply because I made a bad shot doesn’t mean that my next one had to be bad as well.
Do you appreciate what an honor it is to be included in touching others for the Lord? It’s no little thing. I have often quoted the well used phrase that we may be the only Bible someone else reads. True. Once we realize and accept that regardless of what we know, when we give to the Lord all that we are and have, He can turn this into a life that touches lives.
“But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15, AMP)
Touching lives is how we relate and communicate who the Lord is in our lives, so each ‘communication’ is different. We rarely know if we are planting seeds, watering them, or reaping a harvest (1 Corinthians 3:6, AMP) and it doesn’t matter because it’s all important, all part of the process. The Lord’s simply invited us into the opportunity. So all we need do is to be aware of touching lives and providing our best witness.
You want to live a fruitful and meaningful life? You want to make a difference? You want to honor the Lord in who you are and what you do? Then you must begin with the Lord’s instructions… “Abide.” (John 15:4-11) When we grasp and understand how this influences and directs us then you know… not just hope, KNOW you are touching lives.
“Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious]. Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you].” (Colossians 4:5-6, AMP)
This is how we touch lives. It’s the Lord who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:7). And I quickly add that this is how we touch and encourage our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We all need that smile.
