Signs and Messages

A couple weeks ago I brought a ‘For Sale’ sign up to the local restaurant to give to a friend who was in need of one. Since I walk up there from the house and this friend’s vehicle wasn’t outside when I arrived, I decided to stick the sign (face down) on the window of another coffee buddy’s truck. I honestly didn’t intend on causing any mischief, but, after about a half hour having coffee with this buddy, he began receiving multiple offers for his truck. Apparently, at some point, the sign had gotten flipped over and several individuals saw the sign as authentic and were ready to make a deal.
I thought it was hilarious, but my buddy didn’t as much. He has a good sense of humor so, as far as I could tell, he wasn’t really upset, but it was still a little fun to see him squirm. But as I reflected on that experience, I began to realize the power that little ‘For Sale’ sign had. In fact, I thought it’d be a fun little game to play to start sticking that sign in various yards, on different vehicles and maybe even on a church (or two) to see how that played out. I – probably – won’t do that.
But the idea that this little sign had that much power is fascinating to me. It’s not any bigger than a piece of paper, and though it’s neon green and certainly stands out, it’s the message that it sends that gives it its power. And I think that’s true for so many things in life, too.
We send messages, wittingly or unwittingly, all of the time and we are constantly receiving messages, too. From the clothes we wear to the reactions on our face to the way we spend our time, we are constantly sending and receiving these message. And, too often, we don’t realize the message we are sending until much later.
And that could lead us to overanalyze and to overthink so many things in our life, to the point that we might question why we even leave the house. But those messages can also be a wonderfully positive thing, too. Even though we can’t control what others might see or hear all the time, I certainly think we can be intentional about much of our message.
Which is why, as followers of Jesus, our day to day actions, the random conversations and the demeanor we present to others, should always be full of grace and love. Obviously we can’t be perfect, but when we come across as, for example, bitter and judgmental and coarse regularly, our message can be that Jesus is that way. But if we approach each person and relationship with as much love and grace as possible, that message can be clear as well. Ephesians 4.32 says, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (NLT)
Be kind and tenderhearted, that’s the message we should be sending, and forgiving others because that’s how God has treated us. God bless.