Lasting Impressions

13 Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’ 14Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.’ 16As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin. ~ James 4:13-17 

Today I stepped out into the mist and was reminded that we, too are so like this very mist.  A mist, unlike a heavy rain, leaves a light film of moisture that may or may not soak into the soil ever so slightly before evaporating back into the atmosphere.  Our lives, in comparison to God and His eternalness, also lightly touch the earth and those around us while we are here.  Some of us leave a lasting impression as our accomplishments may sink into society and be associated with our name for many years after we are gone, but most of us are here and leave this earth without leaving much of an impression – like the mist – except for on the family and friends around us.  Once we are gone, we may be forgotten in time to this earth. 

Procrastination is one of those traits that keep us from leaving an impression on those around us.  By putting off today what we feel we can do tomorrow, or next week, we may be losing the very opportunity to make that lasting impression God has put us here to make.  Waiting to tell someone you love them, or about Christ and His love for them may not wait another moment.  It is up to God how long we are here, not us, so we need to make the most out of each moment of our lives if we wish to please Him.  We are being arrogant to think that God will keep us here another moment.  It is His will that we live right now.  We do not know what He has planned for us tomorrow.  Let’s not wait and waste our time here today.  We need to use our time wisely – as if this is the only moment left in our life to do God’s will in spreading His love and message to others. 

Prayer 

Heavenly Father,

We are but a mist in time here.  Please, help us to use our time wisely to further Your kingdom and love for others.  Amen.

~ Wendy Miller