The Power of Your Presence

Does everybody have an inner geek? Or is it just me?

Have you ever had one of those moments when someone you thought didn't know you were alive says something nice about you or looks at you in a certain way and all you can do is look around and ask yourself, "Is he talking to me?" "Does she think that about me? Really?"

Let the blushing begin ...
I'm going to share a few of these moments from my life with you just to illustrate the idea that you never know who's watching you or what kind of impact you may be having on them. Some of these examples may sound like I'm tooting my own horn, but know that the inner geek in me is actually blushing a bit to write about them...so here goes:

• Scene One: I'm in the top floor of my company's global headquarters. I've just been surprised with an award for excellence that people at our company are only eligible to win once in their entire careers. I'm 26. I've worked there 4 years. And I'm having lunch with our CEO, my boss, my boss' boss and several other senior executives. One of the top executives at our company (who I didn't think knew I existed), turns and says to me, "I've seen you in the elevator and with clients and there's something different about you...you have this...this....presence."

• Scene Two: I'm totally stressed out (but trying not to show it). I've messed up on a big project at work. And I really hate messing up. I start apologizing and a coworker smiles and says, "Hey, you're Mary Poppins...practically perfect. You're allowed to make a mistake."

• Scene Three: I'm walking through the lobby at church after service and this (non-weird) woman who's my mom's age stops me. "You're beautiful," she says, "I saw you worshipping today and you just radiated with this real, genuine, inside-out beauty. It really blessed me."

Tying it All Together...

"Never underestimate the power of your presence." I don't remember where I heard this quote or who said it, but it's really true. In all three of these situations, I don't know if it was really me these people saw...or if it was God working in and through my life. At least one doesn't know me well enough to know for sure that I'm a Christian, but I think (and I hope) he saw Christ in me.

You might have these stories in your life. But for every story we know about, there are more--people who see our lives, our work, our service--and look to us as examples. Don't underestimate your presence, your words, your work, your smile or your attitude. Be the best you possible--and you'll never know the impact you have on others.