I first read this quote about a year ago while going through the book Disciplines of a Godly Man by Hughes (highly recommended by the way). I then later read the book that the quote actually came from The Weight of Glory and other Address by C.S. Lewis (also highly recommended). Here is the quote.
“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities , it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to then that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations — these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit — immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”
What Lewis is saying, is that God has put us in an earnest situation. We are dealing on a daily bases with entities that have eternal value and significance. We don’t have the luxury of “down time” in our Christian walk, because every action or word will effect someone in someway. True, not every action or word has the same degree of effectiveness, but like Lewis said “All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or the other of these destinations” we are either, no matter how great or small, pushing someone towards a Christ like behavior or away from one. Even when you are by yourself you are effecting people. Not in the direct sense, but when you are by yourself what are you doing? Are you doing things that will allow good to come out of your body when you actually are around others? Everything we say or do will, in some way, affect how they live their lives, whether for good or bad. You have the chance to make it for good, to help someone reach the ultimate goal and that is to become like Christ. Oh how often have I caught myself with no smile on my face, just think about how many people are up lifted by such a simple change…Proverbs 15: 30 “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.” … How often do I think about the eternal consequences of my actions on other people’s lives? …These are things that this quote made me think about and I hope, if you have not already, will see the importance of every action of every minute.
