Love Makes Good Impressions

S scripture: "Greet one another with a kiss of love." 1 Peter 5:14

O observation: Love makes good impressions. How we choose to greet people has a huge effect on our interactions with them. It is easy to greet someone warmly when we are happy or when we like them, but it is much harder when we are fighting or don't like someone. Jesus said we should greet everyone humbly and with kindness, even our enemies. 

A application: My greeting sets the tone for my interaction with someone. I need to communicate my joy at hearing from someone and not focus on past interactions or unrepented mistakes. The truth is for all the hurt, I am still really glad to hear from him and that is something that I should communicate to him. I am resolved to keep my greetings warm and not hostile or guarded.

P prayer: God, I am sorry for the missed opportunities to demonstrate love in my greetings. I am sorry for the hostile and for the guarded replies that didn't covey my joy at hearing from him. I ask for Your forgiveness. I ask that You would help me to remain humble and to greet everyone in kindness. I don't want to lose another opportunity to demonstrate love. I want to love like You. To be as loving as the father in the parable about the Prodigal son. Help me to greet with a kiss of love. In Your loving name, Amen.