Great opening act!

Tuesday, January 25, 2000

VERSE:
   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
    -- Philemon 1:25, New International Version
       <http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?Philemon+1:25>

THOUGHT:
   "What's up?"  "How are you doing?"  "Guess what!"  So often, these are the ways in which we greet people.  After the greeting the conversation that follows is usually either entertaining or predictable.

    "Not much."  "Okay."  "Hey."  But from time to time, someone responds with something real, personal.  Caught off guard, you listen, all the while panicking on the inside, thinking to yourself, "Oh no, what have I done."  Sound familiar?

    Let me ask you this question, how often do you greet people with something other than a "hey" or "what's up?"  Let me take this further, how often do you offer them the blessing of Jesus Christ?  Paul opens up to the Philemon with a wish that is sincere and from his heart.  Kind of like opening the day off with a prayer or devotional time.  I wonder what would happen if we opened up encounters with others with a similar greeting and spirit?

 

PRAYER:
   Loving Father, you have blessed me so much with your grace.  Please use me to be a blessing to everyone I meet today.  In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.