Lifeprints

Bible Reading: Colossians 3:8-9, 12-15

At the sound of the school bell, Flynn slowly made his way into the building. He went to the drinking fountain and pushed his way in at the front of the long line of kids waiting there. “Hey, no cuts!” several of them called out. Flynn ignored them and drank deeply. He shuffled down the hall to the coatrack and muttered when he saw a jacket already hanging on the coat hook nearest the door. He yanked the offending coat off, threw it across another hook, and put his own jacket in his favorite spot.

It was the start of a typical day for Flynn. During class time, he daydreamed instead of studying. When the morning recess bell rang, he was the first one out the door. After recess, he was the last one in. He glared at his teacher when she made him stay in at afternoon recess to finish his work.

That evening, Flynn’s grandma stayed with him while his dad went to a

parent-teacher conference at school. While he was gone, Flynn got out his detective set and pretended he was solving mysteries. When his dad returned, Flynn greeted him with a grin. “Hey, Dad, you better be careful what you touch, because we leave prints on everything.”

Dad nodded. “I know. And what kind of prints have you been leaving?”

“The same kind as always, of course. People’s fingerprints don’t change.”

“True,” said Dad, “but wherever we go, we leave other prints too. Let’s call them lifeprints. Everything we do makes an impression—a lifeprint—on other people. What kind of prints do you make on your teacher and the kids at school?”

Flynn looked at the floor. “Not very good ones, I guess.”

Dad nodded. “I’m afraid you’re right. I was sorry to learn about that tonight. But unlike fingerprints, you can change the kind of lifeprints you make. When you trusted in Jesus, He made you a new person who’s able to leave the kind of lifeprints He did—lifeprints of love and sacrifice. With His help, you can leave lifeprints that point others to Him instead of yourself. I think you need to do that, don’t you?”

Flynn nodded slowly. “I’ll trust Jesus to help me—and ask Him to forgive me for the way I’ve been acting.”

-Hazel W. Marett

How About You?

What kind of lifeprints are you making on others? Do kids and teachers see kindness, respect, and friendliness in your life? Do they see you put others ahead of yourself? Do you show responsibility in your school assignments and jobs at home? If not, ask Jesus to forgive you, and trust Him to help you change. If you know Him as your Savior, you can leave lifeprints that point to Him.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Today’s Key Thought:

Let your actions point to Jesus