Impressions

My text is taken from Galatians 6:17, “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”

You have heard the expression, “First impressions are lasting impressions.” Living by this, people are quick to dress nicely and conduct themselves in a pristine way for a job interview, hoping to influence their potential new employer. They will do the same on a first date with the thought of a subsequent date in mind. We have all been to a General Conference where people are dressed to the hilt, when really, they come from small backwoods towns scattered throughout the United States, where they can be found in overhauls or jean skirts daily. What are they trying to prove? They are trying to make an impression, but to what end, one might wonder. They want to be liked and accepted. However, the real question is, how will that new employee act after a month or so if they do get the job? How will the girl or boy act after a month of dating or even marriage? How do those folks we see, in special circumstances, really behave on any normal given day? If we are children of God, our second, third, and ongoing impressions should be the same as the first.

Romans 12:9-21 puts it this way. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.” The word of God holds us to a high standard. Jesus Christ is the one we need to try to emulate. We must allow him to make an imprint upon our lives.

An impression appears after wearing something or leaning on something for a long period of time. My wife had to go to the dentist recently to get a crown put on one of her teeth. The way this is achieved was that she had to bite down on a substance they put in her mouth so that an impression could be made of the likeness of her tooth. They then sent that temporary impression to the lab for a permanent crown to be formed from what was now a mold made from her tooth. She then had to make a subsequent appointment for the permanent crown to be placed into her mouth over the affected tooth, when it had been completed and returned from the lab to the dentist’s office. Quite ingenious.

We have all seen or heard of the plaster of Paris molds, which is what this made me think of. The first thing you need to do is mix the ingredients from the plaster of Paris recipe. Secondly, you should place a hand or a foot or an object in the container you are going to use to make the mold. Thirdly, you would pour the mixture over the item that you’re wanting to replicate or the impression you’re wanting to make. Fourthly, you would have to let the mixture dry thoroughly before removing the object that is being copied, to see the impression of it. This is quite creative.

None of us can escape impressions. If we spend a lot of time with things of this world, it will definitely leave an impression upon us. A person cannot possibly spend hours with worldly music for instance, without it leaving an impression on their mind. Oftentimes music and lyrics will be infused into our brain without us realizing it, and they will crop up when we least expect it. The same applies to television. What the eye sees, and the ear hears in tandem, have a tendency to be remembered even more, because two of our senses have become involved in the process. Even spending recreational time with ungodly people can leave its impression upon us. These things influence our minds, bodies, and souls, and will leave marks that will be visible to everyone.

However, if we are a Christian we should be encouraged. Just as things of this world will mar a person, spending time with Jesus Christ will leave glorious marks for the world to see as well. Prayer, fasting, Bible reading, and seeking his will for our lives, will leave an impression that you are a person at peace with God. Our soul will be joyful, desiring the things of God, and striving to live for him according to his will, not ours.

Therefore, knowing that each of us has an impression that is visible, we should strive to know ours is one that will show that we have been spending time with Jesus. He is our only hope. If we are bearing the marks of Christ, we can be assured that we are on the winning side. Always remember, 1 John 4:4 which says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

One of the marks in us that show the impression of Jesus Christ upon our lives is love. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” A love ‘one to another’ is not just talk and not action, but an active love. James put it this way in James 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” We see verbs in this verse that denote actions, that will show that we belong to Christ and will intern leave an impression upon those we are helping and loving.

Another way that people can see the impression of Jesus Christ upon our lives is that we will teach, preach, and spread the good news. When someone finds a good deal at a store, they quickly pick up the phone and broadcast it to their friends and families quickly, so they too can take advantage of the sale that may be time sensitive. The good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is an awesome deal, and is in fact time sensitive. He is coming back for his bride soon, and we all need to be ready and watching for his return, or we will be left behind. Many of the teachings and parables that Jesus shared conveyed this in various ways.

In Matthew 24:34-42 Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so, shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then two shall be in the field; one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” We must not delay, but give ourselves to the Lord and gather as many as we can to go with us, by making an indelible impression upon them of the urgency of the hour we are living in.

Another example is found in Matthew 25:1-13, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” The five foolish virgins did not realize the urgency, and the imminence of the coming of the bridegroom.

Have you ever met people who are so self-confident that they really believe that they can do no wrong?  They pretty much think that they have life under control and have mastered every possible skill there is to be had in this world. However, the problem with having that mentality is that when danger really comes their way, they will not recognize it. For instance, they could fall off the side of the pool and hit their head, and think they are such good swimmers that they will surely be fine without help, not realizing they may have had a concussion that can impair them. Not acknowledging that we need help and thinking that we are an island unto ourselves will only lead to our own demise. Just whistling along and thinking things we are fine and dandy, and that we have everything under control as the foolish virgins did, is a dangerous place to be in. We must stay impressionable and pliable in the hands of the potter and allow Him to mold us into what we need to be daily.

Leaving a legacy in this world is another way of making an impression and is all that some people aspire to. However, though we may have a great dream of grandeur and a vision of how things should go for us, in our home, business, church, or community, there are many factors that can crop up unexpectedly and thwart even our best efforts along the way. One such story is of Judy Steska Latham of Missouri. Here we see a story of her memorial, and how she made an impression on her world, yet her life was cut short by a drunk driver.

Memorial scholarship to honor Centene employee

By Stephanie Kim | November 3, 2009

A woman who loved her work and held the highest respect for education has left her legacy in the form of a memorial scholarship to Mineral Area College.

Friends, family and coworkers of the late Judy Steska Latham, of Fredericktown and Farmington, gathered at Centene Corporation on Friday morning to honor the wishes of the nine-year employee who had used grit, determination and education to work her way up from a position as claims analyst to becoming a claims trainer.

Her surviving husband, Jeff Latham, said his late wife was dedicated to her work at Centene and believed that knowledge is power, so her retirement account was an opportunity to show appreciation to her friends at Centene for “their amazing display of affection and generosity.”

The Judy Steska-Latham Memorial Scholarship will be awarded each fall and spring semester to a child or grandchild of a Centene Corporation employee and is intended specifically for attendance at Mineral Area College. Preference will be given to women, however, the scholarship is not limited to women.

The funds can be utilized to pay for required textbooks, tuition, fees, or College Park on-campus housing for a full-time, degree-seeking student in academic good standing enrolled in 12 hours or more per semester.

“Judy’s estate provides for the family she loved, but she had another family she loved and that was her family at Centene,” Jeff Latham said. “The idea for the memorial scholarship was from two of her close friends at Centene — Tony Myers (Sr. Director of Organizational Development and Training and MAC Foundation Board Member) and Sharon Brewer (Manager of Claims Human Resources). I hope the scholarship grows and eventually makes a difference in the lives of many who endeavor to provide for themselves and their families.

Brewer said that since Mrs. Latham was predominantly responsible for the training and curriculum of front-end employees, “as a trainer, she touched almost every employee through her job and was a friend to those that she never trained.

“The memorial scholarship presents a wonderful opportunity for descendants of Centene employees. Judy’s love for training and education will be realized through this legacy,” Brewer added.

Jeff Latham said he hoped to see the scholarship endowment grow and eventually make a difference in the lives of those who strive to provide for themselves and their families through education.

“I hope that each person who sees Judy’s name on the scholarship and wonders about who this person was, will have someone who personally knew Judy tell them how much she loved life and loved people — that she lived a life of Christ,” he said. “And she was just the funniest and happiest person ever.”

James 4:13-15 says, “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. For that, ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” Jesus knew the plight that he faced and as humanity it was a tough pill to swallow. Luke 22:41-43 tells us, “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.”  This must be the posture we take in our lives, whether we are remembered or not for great riches or fame, let us leave a mark on our world that says, “He or she, walked with the Lord”, as the testimonial in the story we read showed of Judy Latham.

We must impress upon our world the urgency of the hour. We can make an impression upon them with our personal testimony that we live before them daily. Being a fair weather Christian and only acting out our faith occasionally, will make the operative word here, ‘acting’.  We want them to see that we are the genuine article. We must make an impression for good, drawing them to Christ, and not for bad, pushing them away from Him. We want Psalm 37:37 to be our epitaph, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”