A while back, on a lazy afternoon, I had some rare, unexpected time to myself and I was just strolling through the Zellers on the way into the mall when I saw her coming towards me. There was something engaging about her that caught my eye. She just looked so beautiful that it surprised me when I glanced into her eyes and saw some sadness and wariness there. It was then I noticed the port stains on her right cheek and I wondered if maybe she didn’t feel like she was attractive or expected a negative reaction. Without thinking I smiled as she was passing by and I noticed she smiled back and some of the sadness was gone.
All at once I remembered times where a smile had picked me up, an encouraging word has kept me going, a friend wanting a hug from me made me feel loved, a touch reminded me someone cared, a note telling me I am special made me cry, and even a compassionate look has held me up. One of the things that makes humanity unique is our ability to touch each other at times even without making physical contact.
Jesus touched people all the time, to heal, deliver, and set them free from physical, mental and spiritual suffering. At times He physically touched them and other times it was His compassion or words that brought healing. And even though I wasn’t there 2000 years ago to experience His touch then, I have felt and continue to feel His touch daily. Still, no man is an island, and the Lord wanted us to be like Him. We live in a difficult and sometimes cruel life and the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy that which is good.* He would just love to stop us from positively touching the lives of the people around us, that way he can bring more misery, poverty (not just financially), death (not just physically), loneliness, heartbreak, grief, pain, and suffering, etc. But we all can show God’s love and compassion through that natural part of ourselves God made when He created man in His image.
Today I started out sensing the general sadness and loneliness of the numerous people passing by me. Later as I sat with a new friend sharing, learning about her and laughing, it replaced those feelings with this thought. Reaching out, and touching the lives of those around us helps to make this journey more endurable.
So I issue this challenge to myself.
Smile at one person today.
Speak encouraging words to somebody today.
At least once today, tell someone I really want a hug from them.
There must be a bazillion ways I can touch someone. I will utilize as many of them as possible...
Today!
*John 10:10- The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. NKJV