Every Encounter Matters

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Every Encounter Matters

Each day, as we go through life, we have encounters that have the potential of altering the direction of our life or of that of someone else. I have a friend who has a website, everyencountermatters.com, dedicated to encouraging people to share their life altering encounters with him. His goal is to someday publish a book describing how real people encountering real people can be life altering. I would like to share a couple of the stories he has received in hopes they will stir an understanding of how encounters in life are important.

One man shared a story of when he was a young minister, he was called to a farmhouse to meet with a family of a man that had just been killed in a farm accident. While encountering the young widow and her son he realized he was not prepared to adequately address the grief they were experiencing. As a result of this encounter he went back to school and studied grief counseling then spent a long career teaching other people to be grief counselors. His unexpected encounter that day not only altered the trajectory of his life but has impacted many others.

My friend tells the story of the day he was stopped by a police officer for excessive speed. The police officer handled the situation with grace and respect. The encounter with that officer led to my friend deciding to make a career out of law enforcement. Prior to that encounter, which could not have ended so well, he had never considered a career in police work. He is now a retired police chief and teaches criminal justice at a local college.

Most of us are living lives much different than we imagined as young adults. Changes in direction quite often are the result of encounters with others. Most Christians can point to a time when they encountered someone who shared the gospel or who exuded the love of Christ so much that a lost person accepted Jesus and altered their life for eternity.

Think about the encounters you have experienced that altered the direction of your life. An encounter with someone that you never knew before may have led to a marriage and children. Sometimes, encounters with strangers lead to lifelong deep friendships. God places people in our paths then leaves it up to us as to what we do with that. An unexpected visit with my friend Patty altered my life at a time I was experiencing tremendous difficulties that she was unaware of. God had prepared the way for her to be His instrument for me.

When you contemplate the life altering encounters in your own life, consider how encounters you have with others may impact them. Remember, all encounters matter, it is up to us to make the most of our encounters. I am reminded of the day a Samaritan woman went to a well simply get some water but unexpectedly had an encounter with Jesus.(John 4:1-42) That encounter not only changed her life but also many other Samaritans.

I encourage you to grasp the truth that Every Encounter Matters and think about your encounters in a new sense of importance.

May God grant you fresh new encounters each day that will positively impact your life and others for Kingdom purposes.