What Message Is Your Life Sending?

A friend recently shared a story with me that I wanted to share with you (with her permission):

“I was at Gemmen’s and an elderly man had his wife on speaker phone. He was calling her to ask her opinion on hoses. They finished their conversation and he said, “Do you need anything from here?” And she said sweetly, “Well honey, I’m hoping you’ll get me some orange sherbet?” “They’re fresh out of that here, honey, they don’t have that, that’s Family Fare or something.” he replied. She said, “Well, yeah, but I’m hoping you’ll stop there afterwards to surprise me; I just really want some orange sherbet.”

My friend later shared,”Just hearing their conversation melted my heart. I think he’s picking the orange sherbet up for her afterwards because he just seems like that kinda gentleman.”

This story has stuck with me because can you just picture this whole scenario going down? My friend knows I have a large appreciation for the elderly, just because there is so much wisdom to gain from those who have lived far longer than I have! What I love about this conversation my friend was a witness to, was how this man carried himself. Him trying to decide what hose to get (I can only imagine the overwhelm of the options available), but then for him to call his wife to ask her opinion, and then she talks about orange sherbet?

This makes me think about the message our life speaks. Our culture is incredibly focused on the outward appearance and beauty. But as it says in 1 Peter 3:3-5, our beauty should not be that of the outward focus, but inward. It’s not about what we look like, but HOW we make others FEEL. We can look all glamorous on the outside, but what message is our life speaking?

This is something I need to constantly check myself with too – when I am around other people, what is my presence telling them about what I believe? What is my presence telling them about God? I don’t want my beauty to be simply outer, but for my beauty to come from WHO I am. I know I need grace daily, for my life to send a message about who God is and ensuring those I encounter, know their value too. That it’s not just in outward adornment, but in WHO we are and how we make others feel.

That man at Gemmen’s spoke with gentleness and calm, and even though I wasn’t there, there was a longevity of love; it was clear. And the wife, knowing she can ask him of anything, even orange sherbet while he’s at the hardware store, and it was received with grace, gentleness, and a little humor. You can tell that this man made those around him feel loved, valued, and heard.

So what message is your life sending? What message is your life living out?

Just a little something to think about today.