By Kay Camenisch
After the “Amen,” the six-year-old looked up and said, “You really love God, don’t you?” When Robert and I took our little friend for a hamburger, we held hands and had a blessing before we ate. Apparently, her family didn’t do that, at least not in public.
Another time, we prayed before eating while in Brazil with two of our sons. We raised our heads to see a stranger leaning over our table. With tears in his eyes. he said, “One of these days, I will do this with my family.”
He confessed to being unfaithful as a husband and father. His sinful lifestyle had destroyed his family. He’d become a Christian a year earlier, and his deepest desire was to see them come to know the Lord and for the family to be restored.
You might think, “Why not pray silently while putting my napkin in my lap? Does it matter if I bow to pray while in public?” I’m sure God hears our prayer either way, so does it matter? Both of these times, we were going about life, being ourselves, doing what we do. We had no idea we were being watched.
Our little friend observed and understood that we love God. The stranger at breakfast saw that we love God and each other. It quickened a longing deep in his heart and brought him to tears.
These situations made Paul’s words to the Corinthians come alive for me,
“Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:” 2 Corinthians 3:2
Paul didn’t need people to write commendations for him, because people could look at the Corinthians to see the effect of Paul’s message in their lives. Likewise, others learn about God by watching us.
Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
It matters.