“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
—Ephesians 6:12
Inspiring people to change and adopt healthier lifestyles has been my lifelong passion, both as a nutritionist and as a public school educator. As a newcomer to the Northwest, I was blessed immediately with a job as a health educator for a local community health center. Each day brought new experiences and responsibilities way beyond what was in my job description, but I embraced each new challenge the best I could with enthusiasm and focused attention.
As I learned all the ins and outs of my new job, I sensed that many of the patients and employees seemed sad or frustrated with their lives and work environments. Confidentially, many shared that they were not being treated with respect or in a caring manner. I felt the presence of Satan lurking in every corner and a deep sadness filled my heart.
What could I do to chase away Satan and bring God’s loving presence to all these people? I did not see many smiling faces as I walked around the clinic filling up wall holders with patient education leaflets. As I interacted daily with the doctors, nurses, front desk people, lab personnel and the dental clinic, I made the decision to smile wherever I went and to offer a personalized greeting such as, “ How are you today?” and” How may I help you?” I asked the Holy Spirit to guide me in what to say to each person so that I might celebrate him or her while they were in my presence.
Every day ended with less stress and more positive interactions. It was very gratifying to know that I was making a difference daily with my friendly attitude. I did not realize how much light I had brought to the clinic until one day, about a month after my resignation; I received a voicemail on my cell phone from one of the clinic’s dental hygienists. She said, “Priscilla, this is Teresa from The Clinic. I just wanted to let you know how much we all miss you. Today when I went upstairs to the employee’s break room for lunch, I passed by your old office and realized you were no longer there. The light was gone without your presence. Thank you for what you brought to our clinic on a daily basis.”
Tears overflowed on my cheeks as I listened to that message over and over again. God had reminded me that every smile, or act of kindness, that we extend to each other is so appreciated. It does make a difference in the small world of our daily lives. We don’t need to travel very far to make a difference in someone’s life. Let your light shine out to everyone around you.