I Like Your Energy

The spa worker on the cruise ship was standing outside the spa area trying to get people to come in and sign up for spa treatments.  I wasn’t at all interested but I thought I’d still smile and greet her.  Cruise ship employees work in the service industry but that doesn’t mean they’re invisible.  My smile and greeting turned into a brief conversation.  As I turned to go to the gym area, she said:  “I like your energy”.

In that context, “energy” might relate to some aspect of spa services.  It’s also possible that her comment was still part of the effort to get me to sign up for some treatments.  But I’d like to think that the comment actually had something to do with my willingness to engage in conversation and treat her as a real person.  I’m guessing that most people probably don’t even look her in the eye as they hurry past, probably demonstrating, in their minds, their lack of interest in the spa.

But as I pondered her comment, it struck me that are not we all, as Christians, supposed to give off “energy”?  Before you think I’m going off the deep end and that I’m embracing some type of earthly philosophies or new age religion, why not take a walk with me through some verses from the Word of God?

We are the salt of the earth, it says in Matthew 5:13.  Salt seasons, preserves and brings out the flavor in food.  It also creates thirst.  Our saltiness should have a flavorful or positive impact on society and cause others to thirst for God.

We are the light of the world, it says in Matt 5:14-16.  Jesus Himself is the true light (John 1:9).  We are to reflect His light before others so that they may see our good works and give glory to God.

We are a fragrance, it says in 2 Corinthians 2:14. God, through us, spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.

We are the aroma of Christ, it says in 2 Corinthians 2:15.  To those who are being saved we are an aroma of God’s grace.  To those who are perishing, we are an aroma or reminder of death.

I want to be clear that I am not trying to communicate that should emanate or radiate some strange type of “energy”.  But I do think that the Word of God indicates that there should be something noticeable about us as Christians.  Salt, light, fragrance and aroma are all very noticeable and they should have impact.

And while I’m not saying that a smile and a brief conversation will necessarily draw someone to the Savior, I do think that it sometimes starts with interacting with people, regardless of their station in life, in a way that acknowledges their dignity and worth.  Then, by the grace of God, perhaps in the right context and in the right time, the aspects of being salt, light, a fragrance and an aroma might be sensed by them and used by the Holy Spirit to point them to the Savior.