handprints on the windows
the impressions we leave
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 NIV
This past week I finally decided to wash the handprints off the doors and windows from our grandkids last visit. I tend to leave them for a while after they are here because it reminds me that recently, there was young life and little ones in our home.
I especially get tremendous joy on a humid, steamy, early morning when I walk into our kitchen and the first sun rays of the day are hitting those steamy windows just right and I can even see their little lips from their kisses. It’s as if those little fingers and kisses were left there just for me and Papa as a reminder we are loved.
Truth is, we all know this is just what little ones do. I’m pretty confident there was no thought behind it other than, I’m not supposed to do this, so this is what I am going to do. But I like my story better. So, I’m sticking with it.
However, I must confess, in full transparency, I did not feel this way about those things when my kids were little and at home. It’s very different when it’s a daily struggle to keep windows, walls, doors, and mirrors clean than when it’s a once in a while thing.
In my Bible studies this past week, I spent a lot of time reading and rereading, Matthew 5-7 The Sermon on The Mount, and I will be studying these three chapters over the next month in my Monday morning Bible study. This sermon is such a rich part of Jesus’ ministry and it’s quite a lot to absorb.
photo by Kelly Sikkema @kellysikkema
It’s filled with so much wisdom to live by that it requires giving yourself time to take it all in. I wish I could write about it all right now, but there is entirely too much to unpack in this small space. So, you will likely hear more on this particular scripture later down the road.
Nonetheless, I feel God putting some specific things on my heart to share this week that pertain to this specific sermon, and to include the above scripture from Acts, written by The Apostle Paul on how we live our lives, and the impressions we leave. They are all intertwined.
Do you give much thought to what your words and behavior say to others about, who you are, what kind of character you have, what you believe, who or what you serve, or what’s in your heart? Do you think about what you post? What memes do you share privately or publicly? What social media sites do you follow? What social media sites do you thumbs up or love?
Have you ever done an honest evaluation of yourself and asked, what impression do I leave on others? Better yet, have you ever asked others to give you an evaluation of the impression you leave? What prints am I leaving behind as I journey down this road of life? I have. Being that vulnerable is terrifying, but I will say, some of my greatest growth stems from asking that question and asking God to help me receive the feedback with grace.
I am just as guilty as anyone else when it comes to getting caught in the “thumbs up👍/hearting❤” approvals of something that really isn’t representative of the heart of a Godly woman. It’s challenging to pass up leaving my stamp of approval when someone posts something that feels like it gut punches someone opposing my views. But, when I stop and consider the message, and what such a supposedly insignificant action conveys about my heart, I am more often convicted to scroll on and not engage.
photo by Shingi Rice @bluespit
God is very concerned with our behavior because our words and our behavior represent what is truly in our hearts, and out of our hearts flow our words and our actions. The Sermon on The Mount is full of ways in which Jesus tells us how we should live. Having seen the handprints and lip prints of our grandkids on our doors and windows recently, there’s a particular part of that sermon that has played over and over for me in my mind. It has stirred up a mess of questions in my heart about the impressions I am leaving.
Matthew 5:13-14 NIV, Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”
A very simplistic breakdown of this is that salt has been used for centuries to preserve food. As salt preserves food, Jesus says that we, as believers are to preserve the faith by sharing our faith and preserving the message of The Bible.
As Dr. Jeremiah once said, “You are salt of the earth. You have been rubbed into the culture of your day to retard corruption and decay. A Christian who doesn’t want to be involved in the preserving influence of the culture in which he lives is like a piece of salt that didn’t have any taste.”
When Jesus tells to be the light of the world, He is telling us that if we are filled with His light, we can’t hide it. We have to let it shine and we are called to let Him shine through us. Our light is to reflect His life, and sometimes that might cost us. It won’t always be easy, but will we let our light shine or will we hide it?
Reading and studying this has prompted me to ask myself the following…What handprints am I leaving on others, but especially the hearts of our grandchildren? What impressions am I making on their innocent hearts about their Savior and creator? As they grow will they know there’s something different about me and how I live? Will they, and do others want what I have in my heart?
photo by Alexander Grey @sharonmccutcheon
Will they feel the joy I have because of Jesus? Am I living in such a way that I am salty, bringing out the flavors of truth, and God Himself by my life, and by not caving to the ways of this world and losing my saltiness?
When they and others are around me, will they feel the light of hope and peace that comes from my Jesus? Will they see my light shining or will they see it dimmed by the darkness of this world? Will they see a Grandma who walked her talk? Will they want to know my Jesus because I showed them my Jesus, in the handprints and impressions I made on their lives?
We are called to be salt and light in this world. Those of us who say we know and love Jesus are to be like Peter and John, mentioned in the scripture from Acts that I shared in the beginning. We are to be so salty and reflect so much light of The Son, that people are astonished when we reflect something counter culture, when we don’t engage in the things of this world that pull us away from our faith.
God cares about the messages we send, especially if we call ourselves believers. There should be no confusion between what we profess to believe and how we live out every aspect of our lives. When we leave our handprints on the hearts and lives of those we interact with each and every day, whether in person or virtually, the impressions we leave should be salty and cast a light of hope, joy, and love.
“Ask God to show you any changes you need to make in your relationships. And make sure your closest relationship continues to be with Jesus Himself.”-- David Jeremiah
Something to consider: If you have never read Matthew 5-7 The Sermon on The Mount, I encourage you to do so right now, or you will forget and never come back to this. 😉 After reading the scripture, I encourage you to take a look at the two links below for some short, but good insight to Matthew 5-7. Lastly, I encourage you to do an inventory of the messages you send and the impressions you leave behind. Does what you say, do, post, like, heart, or share reflect what you believe in your heart? Would you be proud for anyone, especially Jesus to know what’s really in your heart? We all have junk in our trunk. It’s not too late to start purging. What will you do today to initiate change?
Suggested reading & Podcast:
things-you-didnt-know-about-the-sermon-on-the-mount
