"I'm Great"

 

Picture yourself in a common situation: you are walking down a hall or somewhere at work and you see someone you know coming towards you.  The resulting conversation would go something like this:

“Hi, good morning, how are you?”

“I’m great.  How about you?”

“I’m great”

and you both continue on your ways.  Did you really care how that person was feeling or doing, or was that just an automatic conversation?  Most likely it was just a rhetorical question.  You didn’t really care how that person felt.  And that person didn’t really care about you, either.  Why didn’t you stop and ask?  That person may have stopped as well.  What if the first response was “lousy” or “frustrated” or “absolutely terrific!”   You may not have really heard it, or you may have responded, “Me, too” without really knowing what your response entailed.   Because neither of you actually cared, it was just a fleeting social moment.  But, if you stopped, then you know, and cared. 

Try this the next time: stop walking and call him or her by name, get the attention, then ask this way: “Good morning, (name), how are you doing this morning?  Maybe add a comment as appropriate, like, “you’re looking good”.  And that person may respond in kind.  A 30 second conversation showing you do care or are interested on some level.  The person may be a total stranger and you may have made his or her day a touch better.

 God cares and God watches over us.  He cares about you as a unique person he knows.  Maybe you will hear his voice in your heart or your soul, like the tiniest whisper.  He wants to know how you are doing in any particular way, although he already knows.  It is just his way of letting you know he cares, even in the smallest way.

 I’m sure you have had the experience of having one of those days, be it great, be it lousy.  Then someone stops and ask you how you are…and listen, perhaps adding feedback or support or just an acknowledgement.  If you ask why the person talked to you, asked about you, the answer will probably be something like, “I just had this impulse when I saw you.”  That impulse is spelled G-O-D.  That person may not realize the real impetus was God, for he doesn’t advertise his presence.  He doesn’t  grab someone and say, “Hey, John, this is God.  Go see how Mike is doing”.  He is just the director, picking out someone to carry his message that he cares.  Most likely, you won’t think about it being a message from God, but it is.

 God cares about all of his creatures, from the smallest to his greatest creation, us.  Since that is true, then perhaps the next time you talk to someone, asking about them, you may be doing God’s work, delivering his message that he sees us, knows us, loves us unconditionally.

 God doesn’t have to tell us he is great.  He has countless messengers – and a big book for a reference.