Hey, y’all, listen up.
The other day I was sitting next to a thirty-something-year-young lady on the airplane.  She was very friendly.  I’m sure (and she said it herself) that she could strike up a conversation with everyone on the plane.  Her 6’4” stature, wavy red-head, and the personality to boot definitely made this New Yorker standout.
My seat-passenger-friend told me stories of her various trips around the world, the fun and fabulous traditional Greek wedding (and honeymoon!) she attended for her cousin, her past and present career, and the reason why she was traveling to her next destination. This chic had the gift to gab, and she was very captivating in her expressive stories.
As the plane was descending to my final destination and we were engrossed in the conversation about her new relationship with the gentleman she was flying to meet.  I gathered some interesting and rather unnerving, yet true, information.
Christine, my seat-passenger-friend, told me about how the longevity and permanence of a marriage is something she values.  Her parents and grandparents have been married to the same spouse for “x” number of years.  Marriage is something that she and her gentleman friend have had a conversation about.
So at this point of our conversation, this is where I asked this question, “So what about yours and his faith?”
This is where the unnerving part comes in…In the brief amount of time that we had before departing the plane, the response Christine gave me broke my heart in several different ways.
She proceeded to tell me how her parents always raised her to be a “good person”.  Her parents were raised by parents who took them to church, but it seems that there must have been a “burnout” period for them as they got older.
Her parents were raised in different denominations.  When Christine would go and visit her paternal grandparents for the weekend, she always admired how her grandmother was very compassionate and giving towards others.  She enjoyed going to church with her because her grandmother would pick fresh flowers, bundle and tie them up, and either give them to others or leave them on the church steps with a note stating, “If you need to give someone these flowers please take them. Always remember to pay it forward.”
Now, when she visited her maternal grandmother, Christine would intentionally hide her church dress so she didn’t have to go to church with her grandmother.  Why?  Because she said that this grandmother, who professes to be a Christian woman, was always negative about things.  She said that her grandmother was very judgmental towards others.
The view and experience that Christine had between her two grandmothers gave her the desire to go and discover other religions, and to do as her parents taught her to do…be a good person and do good to others.
My heart sank.  I asked her where she thinks she’s going when she dies and her reply was this, “I don’t know.  I’ve had people and friends put their finger in my face and tell me that I’m going to hell.  I say, ‘Okay’.  I know that I am a good person and that I love my life.  I am nice to others and make others feel good to be around me.  I am happy with how I am living and we’ll just see what happens when I die.”
She said all this with a positive smile on her face.  My face…not such a positive countenance.
As our plane was landing I quickly told her I know that I will be in heaven when I die because I have asked Jesus in to my heart.  I believe the bible and try to live my life that way.
I was sad that our time was short and my words seemed so simple.  I wanted to say more, but the time had come for us to go our separate ways.
I immediately began praying with a heavy heart for Christine.
When I texted my mom to let her know that we had landed, I typed, “I just sat by a woman who will be going to hell when she dies.  So sad.”
My mom replied, “We can still pray for her that God will somehow touch her heart.  We will.”
This whole experience rings true and reminds me that our actions and words, as Christians, are so vital.
So many times I’ve heard and said, “You just may be the only bible that someone reads, so represent Jesus well.”  So what do others read/see when they see you?
Yes, we are to do good for others.  Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”
Romans 12:1-2 reads, “So I beg you, brothers and sisters, because of the great mercy God has shown us, offer your lives as a living sacrifice to Him—an offering that is only for God and pleasing to Him. Considering what He has done, it is only right that you should worship Him in this way. ² Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to Him and what is perfect.” Do good and bring glory and honor to Him.
James 1:22 instructs us to, “Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”  So don’t fool yourself and others.  Live how God intends you to live.  Let Jesus Christ be your example.
 “²Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  ⁵ Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt.” Colossians 4:2, 5-6
Checkout “How to Live” on how to live a transformed life.  The verses are from Romans 12.
I pray that when I reach my true “final destination” that my Heavenly Father will say, “Well done” because of how I lived my life.
I pray God’s abundant love and blessings for y’all.