“Every breath you take Every move you make Every bond you break Every step you take Every single day Every word you say Every game you play Every night you stay I’ll be watching you.”
Most of us have heard that 1983 hit by The Police. We cranked up the radio and sang along in the car, not realizing how true those words were. We really are being watched.
Every day.
All the time.
We are watched by the people we do life with. Our family. Our co-workers. Our neighbors. Our friends. The person behind us in line. The one we had a disagreement with. The one who believes differently than us. The one who thinks we hung the moon. The one who curses us under their breath.
Basically, everyone.
Most of us don’t really care what other people think, but we do tend to care about the influence our actions have on the people we love and care about.
I was reminded of just how true this is when my youngest gave me her handmade Christmas gift. It was a painting of a sunshine (because she knows my favorite color is yellow) with song lyrics (that I made up) in the middle. Between each ray was a handwritten note about things she has noticed about me. Things like, “Teaching: She has taught for like, 1000 years. Her Husband: It’s disgusting when they kiss and leave each other mushy notes. God: Prays every night and does Bible study every morning. Tells us to ‘be God’s light’ every morning. Being a Weirdo: She was just in the kitchen dancing to “I Like Big Butts.” Her Family: She tells us she loves us all the time. Her Funeral: She wants us to have a party to celebrate her life, not a funeral to be sad about her death. Wine: She like to drink it and joke about it like, every day.”
The whole page was filled with many more goofy things she sees me do, or that she loves about me. (It was my favorite gift!) But it made me wonder… How many things had she noticed that she didn’t write down? You know, the things that weren’t so lovable? The times I lost my patience, or said something unkind, or ignored when I should have paid attention? It’s not something she would put on a Christmas gift but make no mistake – she noticed.
Just this past week, I completely lost my cool in a room full of people. A friend leaned over and said, “Spoken from the Christian author.” She was joking around, but there was a grain of truth in that statement. I sure wasn’t behaving like one. Just then, I noticed the cross necklace around my neck. It was made for me by another friend because she said I was a great influence.
Welp. Not today.
I looked around the room at all the eyes watching for my response. It was simply, “That’s why I need Jesus. I go to church because I mess up every single day. Thank goodness He doesn’t give up on me.”
Thank goodness.
Friends, we are all imperfect people. We will all do good things, and we will all mess up. One kind word or act of kindness can change a person. And one lapse in judgement or one weak moment can do the same. Both the good and the bad create a ripple effect that extends to all of those people we do life with. The ripple we leave with them may last a day, or a week, or a lifetime.
When the time comes for us to leave this world and stand face to face with Jesus, it will just be us and him. I can’t be sure, but I feel like in that moment, all of those ripples we created in life will be revealed. Some may even still be moving. Did the effects of our actions help others be a better version of themselves because they knew us? Or did our actions leave them hurting? Is there anyone who came to know God because they knew us? Or did our influence on them pull them further away from a relationship with God?
The opinions of others might not matter to us. But, good or bad, our actions do matter in the lives of others.
Their eyes are watching. What will they see?
Have a blessed week, friends!
Denae Jones is the author of “Love, Joy, Peace” and the co-author of “Everyday Grace for Mothers” and “Everyday Grace for Teens”. Soon to be released: “But, Even Now”. Stay tuned!
