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Witness Marks

“See that?” The clock repairman pointed his flashlight beam on a small, fine mark roughly engraved inside the old grandfather clock he was working on in our home. “Another repairman could have put that there almost a century ago,” he said. “It’s called a ‘witness mark,’ and it helps me know how to set the mechanism.”


Before the age of technical bulletins and repair manuals, “witness marks” were used to help the person making a future repair align moving parts with precision. They were more than just time-saving reminders; they were often left as a simple kindness to the next person doing the work.


The Bible encourages us to leave our own “witness marks” as we work for God by serving others in our broken world. The apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome: “Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up” (Romans 15:2). This is the example of our God, “who gives endurance and encouragement” (v. 5). It’s about being a good citizen of both earth and heaven.


Our “witness marks” may seem like small things, but they can make a vital difference in someone’s life. An uplifting word, a financial gift to someone in need, and a listening ear—all are kindnesses that can have a lasting impact. May God help you make a mark for Him in someone’s life today!

The Better Angels Of Our Nature

It is funny how the fabric of our lives seems to go on and on but the fabric of our clothes, not so much. It was a few weeks ago when my son showed me the hole in his jeans. Further inspection showed that both of my sons’ pants were worn out and getting holes. And while their shirts were in better shape both of my sons had “grown” as well. While their adolescent growth spurts had stopped ten years ago, their aging bodies and slowing metabolism had made their bodies grow out and their shirts grow tight.

I spent the afternoon then first at the thrift shop and then at the department store picking out new blue jeans and better fitting shirts. It was a lot of work and I was tired when I got home. I took off the tags and put up their new clothes then I gathered up the old ones to toss in the trash. The jeans were more than garbage ready but when I grabbed their shirts to throw out I felt a little nudge in my heart and in my mind. I knew at once what it was. It was what Abraham Lincoln had once called: “The better angels of our nature.”

These better angels knew that most of the shirts had a lot of good wear left in them. They shouldn’t be thrown away when someone less fortunate could use them. I smiled to my God and my better angels then and laid out the shirts. I carefully looked at each one to see if any were too worn out. Those I tossed but the rest I stuffed back into the big thrift store bag to donate the next chance I could. As I put them in my car’s trunk too I felt a joy in my heart. It was like God was looking at me with Love and the better angels both above and within were smiling at me as well.

Always listen to those little nudges in your heart and mind. Always listen to the better angels of your nature. They are the voice of God within. And they will always lead you to more love, more giving, and more joy. They will always lead you to a better you.