As I pulled into the driveway of my daughter's home, our granddaughter Irene saw me first. Her face lit up and she turned and ran toward me as fast as her little two-year-old legs would carry her. As soon as she reached me, I scooped her up and we exchanged BIG BEAR hugs. Right on her heels, big brother Finn embraced my legs with his four-year-old arms. "Nanny," they cried out together. A sweet swoon accompanied their voices which made my heart melt. Irene’s face beamed as her deep dimple enunciated her smile. She pulled my hair away from my ears to look at my earrings. She loved to look at them. Big brother quickly lined out the expectations of the visit as he urged me along. "Can you push me on the swing?"

Carrying Irene, we mounted the steps to the house, crossed the kitchen and were soon in the backyard. Finn pointed out the pumpkin plants growing in the garden while Irene leaned toward the swing with her own agenda, "My turn." Soon both children were settled in their swings. Irene’s golden blonde hair flew in the wind while Finn showed off how he could pump his legs and keep the swing moving all by himself. Giggles and chatter filled the air.

This sweet memory crossed my mind while doing my morning Bible reading. 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10 says, "The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master's word. The news of your faith in God is out. You don't even have to say anything anymore...you're the message!” (MSG)."

You're the message.I thought of our grandchildren and how just showing up expressed a message of love and how their warm welcome was a message of their love to us. Nothing needed to be said. Just being together expressed our mutual love.

You're the message.I thought of recent tensions in our family due to misunderstanding and lack of compassion. I also thought of our world where the media promotes messages of unrest and dissatisfaction. Racial tensions, politics, Covid, abortion, and a long list of social ills tend to divide us. Many people won't even speak out anymore for fear of nasty things being spewed back at them. Others who do speak up find themselves being shamed for speaking against the negative narrative.

You're the message.How easy it is to throw allegations without understanding, judge when others don't agree with you, or point silent fingers of accusation rather than welcome healthy conversations with boundaries of mutual respect. That sends a message too.

You're the message. Regardless of whether we speak up or stay silent, take a stand or watch and observe, draw a boundary, or raise a flag, wear a mask or not, protest or riot, we send a message. We live in a world where Satan enjoys running mankind through his playground. Whether it's family dynamics or world politics, the enemy has been stirring the pot with the intent to kill, steal, and destroy. God is still in control. Sharing His message is more imperative than ever.

You're the message. I want to be a message of hope and faith in our amazing Savior even when fear is standing at the door. I want to be a message of forgiveness even when the hurts are unbearable. I want to be a message of love, even if it is returned with hate and judgment. I want to be a message of compassion even if others misunderstand.

Will I succeed every time? Absolutely NOT, but at the end of my life, I hope to be remembered as someone who declared God's message so loudly that words weren't needed. You're a message too. What do you want your message to be?