Ripples

Have you ever thrown rocks into the water? Have you thrown whole fistfuls of pebbles or stones through the air and watched them as they fell into the water?. I'm sure that each one hit the water with the same result...ripples. Ripples that circled out and intersected with the other ripples, ripples that went far beyond the spot where each stone landed.

This image of the ripples never fails to bring the same thought to my mind over and over.

Small as each pebble is, not one touches the water without these resulting ripples.

We are like the pebble. No matter how influential or insignificant we see ourselves, we each send out ripples that circle out further than we might ever dream.

Words and deeds of kindness or cruelty, gentleness or abrasiveness, generosity or greed - all ripple out and touch other lives far beyond the boundaries we think they go. Our families, co-workers, neighbors, and even strangers are often touched by an act or a word of ours that we never dreamt would get that far.

My husband is good at skipping rocks across the water. We used to take the kids to the park where there was a little creek. Their Dad taught them there how to skip rocks. As he threw the rocks they would count the skips; the more the better. Sometimes we think we, too, can skip through life, independent, not touching others, hurrying on without time to stop and be concerned about anyone else. The inevitable ripples still flow out.

We do influence, we do touch others, even when we are not aware of it. God even reminds us of our ripples…

"...but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

As you go through your day today be reminded that you are sending out ripples. You have no idea how far they go. As I pray each day I ask the Lord to help me be a witness to others of his love & mercy. Today, I will also ask the Lord to help me to be conscious of the ripples I am sending out.