This week I learned that a former 3rd grade student of mine had been killed by her boyfriend. I was shocked and saddened. Then I got to thinking... would I have interacted with her differently if I had known she was going to be murdered at age 19? How would I have interacted with her parents?

I'm not limited to my role as a Children's ministry person or a former teacher in this thinking. As a human being who comes into contact with other human beings on a daily basis, it causes me to think about how I interact with those I meet. A long life isn't promised to any of us. Is my interaction with others life-giving? Do my interactions with others point them to Jesus?

It's a good lesson to learn from a tragic, painful situation.