Fingerprints Change

Did you know that fingerprints change? Fingerprints are altered with hard work, cleaning solutions, constant rubbing, etc. I suppose I always assumed that your fingerprint was deeper and that as skin wore off, for example, the same fingerprint was still there somehow. But actually, your fingerprint changes over time, with wear, with activity. Getting an accurate inked fingerprint is more difficult when fingertips have been exposed to a lot.

My own fingertips have been through a lot. There was that oil painting I spent days and days on when I was in college that I used my finger to paint with (I know that’s odd. 🙂 There are the cleaning solutions I have used. There is all the crafting and other projects I do. I doubt my fingerprints are extremely changed, but I’m sure they have been affected to some extent.

We are affected.
If we imagine that our heart and soul is our fingerprint and all the things we do are the agents of change that are working on our fingerprint, I wonder how we are doing. The fact is, we are not catalysts. We ARE affected by the things around us. We are affected by the people with whom we surround ourselves, the places we go, the stresses in which we live, the projects in which we involve ourselves, the conversations we have, and so on. While we are uniquely ourselves, as our fingerprint is unique, we can be changed or dulled.

Take time to evaluate.
Sometimes it is good to stop and evaluate what is happening in our lives. Some things are good and/or necessary, and some things are negatively affecting us. We should evaluate these parts of our lives honestly. It is up to us to protect and nurture the parts of ourselves which God wants to grow from the things that take their toll on us. Good to think about. Good to pray about.

Here is an evaluation exercise to help you honestly assess how you are changing… grab an old fashioned pen and paper.

1. Set the timer for 5 minutes and list (in phrase form) some specific things that are dominating your life. There are no rules, just start listing.
2. Do you have several things jotted down? Now go down your list one by one, and think carefully about how each thing is affecting you. Is it affecting you positively and in a Godly, beneficial way? If so, write a “P” beside it. Or is it affecting you negatively? Is it hurting your relationship with God, harming you, or causing problems? If so, write an “N” beside it.
3. Now go back over your list again and pray specifically about each listed item. If the item is good for your fingerprint (heart and soul), then thank God for that part of your life and invite Him to be the Master. If the item is changing or dulling your fingerprint (heart and soul), then take some time and pray about it. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and to intervene according to His will. Then listen and be open to His direction.

I hope you took this challenge to heart and took some time to let the Lord speak to you. He wants to work in your life and give you good things. We just have to follow Him, love Him, and obey.