By Erin Elizabeth Austin
A little known fact about me is that for a short while I seriously considered becoming a crime scene investigator. I took a forensic science class in school and was at the top of the class. I loved everything about it. Because of that, I took several criminal justice classes before I decided God hadn't called me into this line of work. Even now, I still am intrigued by the idea of forensic science. I suppose this is why I love to watch so many cop shows on television. I love to watch the forensic television shows and know how to do some of what they do, particularly when they dust for fingerprints and analyze them.
A fingerprint is an amazing thing. Webster's Dictionary defines a fingerprint as "an impression made for purposes of identification." Every person has a unique fingerprint. No two people in the world have the exact same fingerprint. God created each of us special, down to our very fingerprints. As I thought about this the other day, I got to thinking about how God also created us with spiritual fingerprints.
A little known fact about me is that for a short while I seriously considered becoming a crime scene investigator. I took a forensic science class in school and was at the top of the class. I loved everything about it. Because of that, I took several criminal justice classes before I decided God hadn't called me into this line of work. Even now, I still am intrigued by the idea of forensic science. I suppose this is why I love to watch so many cop shows on television. I love to watch the forensic television shows and know how to do some of what they do, particularly when they dust for fingerprints and analyze them.
A fingerprint is an amazing thing. Webster's Dictionary defines a fingerprint as "an impression made for purposes of identification." Every person has a unique fingerprint. No two people in the world have the exact same fingerprint. God created each of us special, down to our very fingerprints. As I thought about this the other day, I got to thinking about how God also created us with spiritual fingerprints.
Fingerprint
Every day, we go out into the world and we touch lives. Whether positive or negative, we leave impressions on others. God created each of us with unique gifts and talents, and He has called us to use them to touch others for His kingdom purpose. Some of us, leave our marks randomly. When we think about doing our "Christian duty," we try to reach out and minister to others. And then there are those who leave their spiritual fingerprints everywhere they go on every person they meet. Unfortunately, the majority of believers fall into the first category. They are so focused on living their lives for themselves they don't have time to leave a spiritual fingerprint behind.
The thing I've come to realize because of my sickness is life is short. No one knows how long they have on this earth. Those who aren't sick often take for granted the fact they will live until they are old, yet no one is guaranteed to live until they're 100. Life is precious, and it doesn't take much for it to come to end. My family was reminded of this truth just last week.
My sister and her family went on vacation two weeks ago with her in-laws. They came back a day early because her father-in-law wasn't feeling well. He went to the doctor and was immediately sent to the hospital and put in ICU. He had pneumonia in both lungs. The next day, he was put on a ventilator. It's been two weeks and he just now came off the ventilator. For a while, the doctors weren't sure he would be able to come off the ventilator at all. To say my family was taken by surprise is an understatement.
As my brother-in-law's father finally starts to heal, I can't help but think about all God has called us to do. Whether we are in full-time ministry, work from our homes, or work in a place where Christianity is not welcome, we have all been called to minister to others and point them to Christ. There will come a day when we will leave this earth behind, and when that happens, it won't matter if we were rich, poor, married, single, healthy, or sick. What will matter is the difference we made and the lives we touched. When the day comes for me to leave this world behind, I truly hope my spiritual fingerprint will be left all over the world. What about you?
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." ~ Acts 1:8
*This was originally written and posted November 2, 2011.
The thing I've come to realize because of my sickness is life is short. No one knows how long they have on this earth. Those who aren't sick often take for granted the fact they will live until they are old, yet no one is guaranteed to live until they're 100. Life is precious, and it doesn't take much for it to come to end. My family was reminded of this truth just last week.
My sister and her family went on vacation two weeks ago with her in-laws. They came back a day early because her father-in-law wasn't feeling well. He went to the doctor and was immediately sent to the hospital and put in ICU. He had pneumonia in both lungs. The next day, he was put on a ventilator. It's been two weeks and he just now came off the ventilator. For a while, the doctors weren't sure he would be able to come off the ventilator at all. To say my family was taken by surprise is an understatement.
As my brother-in-law's father finally starts to heal, I can't help but think about all God has called us to do. Whether we are in full-time ministry, work from our homes, or work in a place where Christianity is not welcome, we have all been called to minister to others and point them to Christ. There will come a day when we will leave this earth behind, and when that happens, it won't matter if we were rich, poor, married, single, healthy, or sick. What will matter is the difference we made and the lives we touched. When the day comes for me to leave this world behind, I truly hope my spiritual fingerprint will be left all over the world. What about you?
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." ~ Acts 1:8
*This was originally written and posted November 2, 2011.
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