“You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are Christ’s letter, delivered by us…” (2 Corinthians 3:2–3, CEB)

You do not have to spend very much time with someone to discover what things are the most important to them. We cannot easily hide what we treasure the most because “…What you say flows from what is in your heart.” (Luke 6:45, NLT). If sports or politics dominate our lives, you can be sure that it will be reflected in our conversations and our posts on social media.

 If sports are our primary passion, we become a “letter” composed by our favorite teams or athletes. If politics, we will be a “letter” written by CNN or Fox News or perhaps some radio talk show host. Still others are “letters” from children or grandchildren, spouses or significant others, vocations, or hobbies.

In the same way, when we are passionate about Jesus Christ, nothing can stop us from talking about him and even when we are not speaking about him, our lives and our actions declare that He is who we treasure most. There are countless stories of people who so reflected Jesus in their lives, that strangers would come up to them to ask, “what is different about you?”

In a quote attributed to St. Francis, “Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” When we are a “letter” written by Christ, people will stop and take notice and then we will have the opportunity to express with words “the hope that we have.” When Jesus writes “the letter,” the gospel is proclaimed even before we speak a word. In fact, it prepares the way for our words to have greater impact.

If you are reading this article, there is a strong possibility that it is your desire to be a “letter” from Christ. It is quite simple to determine who is writing the “letter” of our life. Reflect on the past week; what have you talked about the most? If you are active on social media, what themes and content have you posted? Are you positive and constructive or have you been negative toward others?

When Jesus writes “the letter” of our life, he will transcend our inadequacies and deficiencies. “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NIV). The most important thing about us will not be our education, our experience, or our social standing, but that we have spent time with Jesus. We are absorbed in him, his word and in prayer and worship.

It may not be the easy way or the popular path, but when we allow Christ to write “the letter” of our lives it will endure and last. Everything else will eventually fade away. Sports and politics and even family will eventually let us down, but Jesus never fails. At a time in Jesus ministry when many were turning away from him, he asked the disciples if they were going to leave as well. “Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68–69, The Message)

Finally, I paraphrase, “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, along with my emails and posts on social media be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Who is writing your “letter?”

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