What do people see in me?

Several days ago, our social worker, Loyce, and I went to the offices for our district to get some paperwork turned in and to greet our district social worker called a probation officer.  Since I had been away, I had not seen her or spoken with her for 7 or 8 months, so it was important to go see her.  We greeted her and spoke in her very small office about some concerns of several people in the community.  During our conversation, a man walked in and stood there until we were getting ready to leave.  As we were saying our good-byes, he asked the probation officer if she was going to introduce us.  The probation officer seemed hesitant but told him who we were and we shook hands. Loyce was hesitant to shake his hand but when he reached out, she also shook his hand.  We said good-bye and headed home.  On our way home, I was told why the probation officer and Loyce were uneasy with this man.  Loyce told me that he was a witch doctor. You never know what you are going to respond in a situation like that.  My first thought was, "Man, I wish I would have said 'God bless you!'"

I sat there in the van wondering how often I don't even think about who I am greeting.  I don't think who the person really is that I am encountering and that they need Jesus.  I don't know if I have ever meet a witch doctor or not.  I don't know how many of you ever will.  But I have met a lot of people who are hurting and in despair.  I have met people who are unaware of their need for a Savior.  And so often I am so caught up in my world that I forget that I am to be a light in this broken world.

The man I met had no visible signs of being a witch doctor - no feathers or animal skins or magic potions in hand.  In the same way, most people do not have visible signs of being broken, hurting or lost.  But do believers have visible signs of hope, joy and peace?