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Midnight Counting

I woke up in the middle of the night last night and thought to myself, “Wow, I just spent a whole day and only talked to 2 people (besides the three others in my family)!”  I just about sat straight up in bed.

But instead, I decided to slow down and think about how many people I did actually talk with. It wasn’t much better.  When I calculated in all the people I spoke with even briefly, I could only come up with 13 people ( and only 12 face to face.)  That’s sort of sad, is it not?

Of course, I did communicate with several others via email and text messages, but it sort of made me feel lonely there in the big house, knowing that out of 7 billion people I only interacted with 13!

However, in reality, that’s how things go most of the time.  We have interactions with small groups of people, but those interacts can have large impacts – and that’s really the key.  Is it better to interact with 100 people with a very light touch, or with a small number but to make a deep impact. ( not saying I make a deep impact with the waitress at lunch, or the coffee bar girl, but I had to count them in the number!!!)

All of this to say, make sure you are making your interactions with other count today – not to create a large tally of interactions, but to make a large impact!

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.   Hebrews 3:13 New International Version (NIV)
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On Taking a Risk on People

I saw this post Tuesday night about taking a chance on people, and I thought it was a really good thing to share with all of you.  In the post, Ron Edmondson, the author, encourages us to take a chance, or a risk on people, just like Jesus did when he was here.

I think this is a great admonishing for you to consider today, maybe because I spend a lot of time thinking about the quote from Andy Stanley that I shared with y’all back in November ( I can’t believe it was that long ago!)  Remember that quote about using your influence to make others around you better?

It’s a very similar concept.  Reach out.  Work with others.  Take a risk to make them better.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, Hebrews 10:24 ESV

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Set Free

It’s the best day of the year again!
Oh, and if you are looking for a reason that it is that way, maybe this verse from Hebrews will provide the necessary encouragement to keep you buffeting away today!

14How much more is done by the blood of Christ. He offered himself through the eternal Spirit as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make our consciences pure from useless acts so we may serve the living God.

15For this reason Christ brings a new agreement from God to his people. Those who are called by God can now receive the blessings he has promised, blessings that will last forever. They can have those things because Christ died so that the people who lived under the first agreement could be set free from sin. Hebrews 9:14-15New Century Version (NCV)

Live free today, serve, and it will indeed be the best day of the year!

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Today’s Wish

On of the great things about the new year is that there is a wealth of motivational material published. Earlier this week I saw this poster on designMilk.

So, what are you going to do today, that you would normally have put off.  Don’t let 2013 roll around and find you still in the same spot.  Start – Today.

15 As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”  Hebrews 3:15 New International Version (NIV)

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Influence and Others

Last weekend I saw this quote from Andy Stanley, which I just loved. I actually shared it with several people last week and even posted it on my office wall. To me it optimizes how followers of the Christ should live- also looking out for the best in others and always trying to make others better.

How can you leverage your power and influence to make others successful?

Now if I could just live that way!

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13 NIV)