Brief Encounters

There are many brief encounters in life with others who we may only see for a moment. We have time to talk with them only for a few minutes about whatever comes to our minds. There are other times when we have meetings or encounters where we spend a few hours, or even a day with someone we may never see again. Then there are times when we run into someone we haven’t seen in years and have an opportunity to talk with them for a while.

Romans 13:13a “Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see.”

These situations are not by chance. These brief encounters are opportunities. God puts us in the path of others for a reason. We need to be aware of who we are talking to and what we are talking about. We are examples of God to others wherever we are. When we run into someone who we are able to talk with for a brief moment, we should choose our words and actions carefully.

If we look back on the life of Jesus, he rarely met someone twice. When he encountered someone, he did what was needed to be done and moved on. When we meet someone in the line at the store, at a ball game, in a training class, wherever we are, we need to be more aware of what we say and do. We need to ask God what He wants us to do and say while as we meet new people that would be pleasing to Him.

In fact, it would be a good idea to plan ahead and have a practiced greeting to other people. When we plan ahead and know what we will say and do we will be more aware of how we can make a difference in the lives of others. We should pray asking God to give us the right words to say to others when we meet them.

A good plan for brief encounters is to have a few greetings and questions for others that would give us an opportunity to learn more about them. We should use questions that will help us learn how we can help them and what their needs are. Many people need others to reach and out help them. As God’s children, we have the tools to help them. We have God’s word which can guide them to where He wants them to be.

Many people are watching us even though we don’t actually meet them. Our actions speak louder than words. We need to be aware of the people around us and the actions we are taking. When they see us, they should see Jesus in us. We should always be aware of what we are doing, saying and wearing. Our inward and outward appearances are important especially when we are not able to exchange words with others.

We are God’s communicators. We are examples to others. We are living proof God is alive and we have a story to tell to others. When we share our experiences with others in our brief encounters with them and how God has worked in our lives, we will be able to make a difference in their lives as well. We have an obligation to listen and to help others. Let’s be aware of who we meet and how we act so we can make a difference.