If you think back, who has had the strongest impact on your life? The pastor at our church here in Ohio asked everyone to make a timeline of their life and add in the people who’ve made a huge impact. Well, I’m sure your parents played a big part in it…maybe a sibling? A teacher? A friend? A pastor? A stranger? I know my parents have affected my life immensely and for the better. I know my sister has helped me grow. I’ve definitely had teachers who have impacted me. My friends have been there when I needed them. I’ve had shining lights of example in my pastors. And I think there have been more than one stranger I could add to the list.

But, why?

Why do you consider those people impactful? Is it because they provided for you, fed knowledge to you, or gave you a leg up when you needed it? The people who have made an impact on me have been those who encourage me and speak life into my thoughts or my dreams or my ideas. They have been the ones to remind me countless times that I can do what I put my mind to even when my hope is essentially nil. They have been the family members, mentors, new friends, and yes, even strangers who have chosen to articulate to me that they’re proud of me or think I am doing a good thing…instead of keeping it quiet.

So, it dawned on me last year – why is it I feed so heavily on verbal and written encouragement (not necessarily approval, although that’s a deeper issue for another post), but shy away from doing it myself? Last year, I made a resolution to try to encourage others more, but the more I put on my plate, the more that came up, and the busier I got…well, I said I just didn’t have the time I wanted to devote to it. But how hard is it to send someone a text or Facebook message? Not very. And when I can see the impact words have on me why is it not more of a priority? Probably because I’m lazy, but we won’t go there. Halfway through the year, I stepped up my game a bit and tried to encourage others a little more often and I kept it on my resolutions list for this year.

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out”
Proverbs 20:5 NIV

Isn’t it true? The thoughts and desires of our hearts are so deep sometimes we can’t even speak them aloud. It’s hard to be vulnerable. But though they’re deep, it doesn’t mean those purposes can’t be ushered out into the open if the right person asks a question and knocks on the door. I’ve had that door opened to me when I’ve taken the time to really look at someone and decide to get to know them – not surface knowledge, but better hidden words they want to share but don’t know how. And I’ve had others be that in my life…taken 5 minutes out of their life to look into mine – and those are the people and the conversations I remember.

I needed to hear that verse to remind me what I look for in people, what I find to be the diamond in the rough…I want to be that for someone else.

So, today, my encouragement is to find what draws you to the people who’ve most impacted you and begin to implement that into your routine if it isn’t there already. And to all the people who’ve spoken or written something encouraging to me, it hasn’t been forgotten (seriously, there’s a drawer somewhere…it’s not weird, promise).

Do you have a “thing” that draws you to the people who’ve impacted you? If you do, care to share. I guarantee it’ll brighten their day.