Impress Or Impact

I sat in a meeting yesterday with a doctor and some nurses.  One of the nurses pulled out her phone and showed me a picture of her husband.  I told her it was a great picture and then asked her if he is "a cool guy."  She looked at me and said, "No, he's not a cool guy.  He always tells me he's not so much here to impress people as he is here to impact people.  And I like that about him." 

Wow!  That's a great way to think.  And a great way to live.

As I reflected on that, I realized that at some point we all reach a fork in the road on the journey of life.  And we have a choice to make.  Will we live either to impress people or impact people?

Think about it...

To impress people is to do what is popular, but to impact people is to do what is right.

To impress people is to focus on how things look, but to impact people is to focus on how things are.

To impress people is to gain a spotlight, but to impact people is to make a difference.

To impress people is to say "Look at me", but to impact people is to say, "I'm looking at you." 

To impress people is selfish, but to impact people is selfless.

To impress people is for a temporary pleasure, but to impact people is for a lasting legacy.

To impress people is to waste time, but to impact people is to maximize moments.

Ask yourself this question:  What did Jesus do when He walked this Earth in bodily form?  Did He impress or impact?  The answer is obvious.  He came here to impact.  He came here to serve, bless, help, and save others.  

I think that nurse's husband has the right mindset.  He's here to impact.  He wants to make a positive difference in the world and leave it a better place when God calls Him home.

Let's do something positive and productive with this life we have.  Rather than trying to impress people, let's impact them.  That is a life well lived, and that brings glory to our awesome God.