Encounter.
“How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world! How lovely that everyone, great and small, can make their contribution toward introducing justice straightaway... And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!”
― Anne Frank
Filing through narrow halls and staircases, I followed a line of people like ants all in a row! We made our way through the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam, each one there to witness the story and life of a young girl. I was struck by the number and variety of people packed inside the small building where Anne and her family hid during the war. In her short lifetime, Anne left her mark on the world!
As I looked at documents and quotes, I saw not only the life of Anne on display but the lives of those of her family, her friends, and the allies that helped them stay in hiding. And in those moments I thought about the frailty and beauty it is to be a human being. Not only do each of us have the ability to make an impact on the world, big and recognizable like Anne's or small and less noticed like the role the helpers played in protecting the Frank family, but we are being impacted every day by those we encounter too!
Encounters happen everyday. Maybe you encounter the mail man, or the grocery clerk, your best friend, or your neighbor. Some encounters impact us instantly, and we know that God placed that person in our life at that moment for a reason! Maybe we find in those encounters a hope that we've been needing, or a gentle push we knew God sent, or a much needed laugh with an old friend. Those encounters are, I believe, where it's easy to find God in people. I, however, have found that God does not only stand in the midst of big encounters, speaking to us, but He can too be found in the minor encounters that impact us whether we know it or not!
I've been on quite the journey these past couple of weeks and I can say that I've grown in so many ways that God knew I needed to. Yes, I could list for you the big encounters, the moments when I knew God wanted me to see or learn something. But I think I underestimate the little encounters, the moments when I barely see someone, refuse to really notice them, and yet these perfect strangers impact my life just the same.
I may never be able to remember their face or call them by name, but so many individuals have been a part of my journey on this trip! And it's strange to me when I realize that there was just as good a chance that I'd never encounter them then as I would. But God, He's good and He knows! He knew all along that the "good mornings" from the boat crew, and the smiles from the lady passing in the hall, or the laughter of the crowd of boys watching a futbol game would all impact my journey here. I could have lived my life, and never known these people existed. I could continue to live my life without acknowledging their role in the story of my life. But I won't, because I learned that if you open your heart and let God teach you through the little people and the big people just the same, you'll be transformed over and over and in turn discover yourself and who He knows you are!
You can walk around today refusing to encounter anyone! Or, if you so choose, you can see everyone as a means to encounter Christ! Think about the life of Anne Frank, she spent a large part of her life in hiding, yet even there she found moments to encounter and embrace others! Her story resonates with us, not only because of the person she was but because of the person she allowed others to help her to become!
Every encounter, big or small, has the power to change you and to make you a stronger, happier, and more perfect version of yourself. And in each encounter, you have the power to be Christ for someone else! You want to leave your impact on the world? Let Christ encounter you and in turn allow Him to help you truly encounter others!
― Anne Frank
Filing through narrow halls and staircases, I followed a line of people like ants all in a row! We made our way through the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam, each one there to witness the story and life of a young girl. I was struck by the number and variety of people packed inside the small building where Anne and her family hid during the war. In her short lifetime, Anne left her mark on the world!
As I looked at documents and quotes, I saw not only the life of Anne on display but the lives of those of her family, her friends, and the allies that helped them stay in hiding. And in those moments I thought about the frailty and beauty it is to be a human being. Not only do each of us have the ability to make an impact on the world, big and recognizable like Anne's or small and less noticed like the role the helpers played in protecting the Frank family, but we are being impacted every day by those we encounter too!
Encounters happen everyday. Maybe you encounter the mail man, or the grocery clerk, your best friend, or your neighbor. Some encounters impact us instantly, and we know that God placed that person in our life at that moment for a reason! Maybe we find in those encounters a hope that we've been needing, or a gentle push we knew God sent, or a much needed laugh with an old friend. Those encounters are, I believe, where it's easy to find God in people. I, however, have found that God does not only stand in the midst of big encounters, speaking to us, but He can too be found in the minor encounters that impact us whether we know it or not!
I've been on quite the journey these past couple of weeks and I can say that I've grown in so many ways that God knew I needed to. Yes, I could list for you the big encounters, the moments when I knew God wanted me to see or learn something. But I think I underestimate the little encounters, the moments when I barely see someone, refuse to really notice them, and yet these perfect strangers impact my life just the same.
I may never be able to remember their face or call them by name, but so many individuals have been a part of my journey on this trip! And it's strange to me when I realize that there was just as good a chance that I'd never encounter them then as I would. But God, He's good and He knows! He knew all along that the "good mornings" from the boat crew, and the smiles from the lady passing in the hall, or the laughter of the crowd of boys watching a futbol game would all impact my journey here. I could have lived my life, and never known these people existed. I could continue to live my life without acknowledging their role in the story of my life. But I won't, because I learned that if you open your heart and let God teach you through the little people and the big people just the same, you'll be transformed over and over and in turn discover yourself and who He knows you are!
You can walk around today refusing to encounter anyone! Or, if you so choose, you can see everyone as a means to encounter Christ! Think about the life of Anne Frank, she spent a large part of her life in hiding, yet even there she found moments to encounter and embrace others! Her story resonates with us, not only because of the person she was but because of the person she allowed others to help her to become!
Every encounter, big or small, has the power to change you and to make you a stronger, happier, and more perfect version of yourself. And in each encounter, you have the power to be Christ for someone else! You want to leave your impact on the world? Let Christ encounter you and in turn allow Him to help you truly encounter others!
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