You Never Know

I have a scripture quoted in my e-mail signature at work: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding", Proverbs 3:5. I put it there some 13 years ago. It has been so long, and I am so accustomed to seeing it that I hardly think about it any more.

Last week I received this instant message from a co-worker:

Just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you including Proverbs 3:5 in all your e-mails. I really needed that today... more than you will ever know.

Naturally, that made my day. It also made me think. When I am tempted to ask myself (usually after having done or said something really stupid), "What do people think of me?", I comfort myself with the thought, "probably they don't". That is, most people probably don't spare many thoughts on me since they have their own lives and troubles to deal with. I think that is usually true, but not always.

Sometimes you can influence people in ways you don't even realize. The quote from my e-mail signature is a prime example. I put it there specifically to reminding others of a spiritual perspective in a highly secular professional world. Even though I had nearly forgotten it, others still saw it. You never know who is watching. You never know who might be influenced by your words and actions.

Lest this sound like I'm patting myself on the back, I will touch on the other side of this as well. On another occasion I was reminded of that verse when someone felt my tone in an e-mail was at odds with that profession of faith. I'm ashamed to say that he was probably right. If we proclaim our faith publicly, we had better back it up with how we live. We must beware, lest "The name of God is blasphemed among the nations because of you" (Romans 2:24).

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven" Matthew 5:16. You may never see the fruit of that example, but it will have an influence on someone. And be assured that your Father in Heaven will see it.

-PG