I Hear Your Voice Speaking

GREETINGS
      Have you thought about your first greetings of the day, what expressions are first seen, what words first come from your mouth, what is seen by the first person you meet in your day? This morning in my quiet time, I was greeted by Peter in 2 Peter in his opening words.
"May grace and peace be yours in full measure through your knowledge of  God and of Jesus our Lord. God's divine power has given us everything we need to live a truly religious life through our knowledge of the one who called us to share in his own glory and goodness.  In this way he has given us the very great and precious gifts he promised, so that by means of these gifts you may escape from the destructive lust that is in the world, and may come to share the divine nature." 2 Peter 1:1-4
      Those words were my first greeting of my day which put a smile on my face and touched my heart with joy. Needless to say, my day began with peace, joy and love. I had to ask myself, how often do I offer warm and inviting greetings to those I see first thing in my day.  Well, it didn't take long to see that I fell short just yesterday morning. I had been up for a bit and was sipping on a delicious warm cup of coffee when my front door opened up, In no time flat, there was a clatter of tools being lined up for the days construction, the radio turned on with some rather ambitious eye opening music and the noise of some electrical tool buzzing loudly. Now mind you, I was ready for this knowing that work was ready to begin, but I still had to make my sarcastic fun loving remark and yelled down the stairs, "Let's keep the noise down, I'm trying to enjoy my morning coffee." Of course I was trying to joke a little here, but was that what was heard on the receiving end? I don't really know for sure, but knowing the person I said it to, he knew I was kidding around.  But what if his day didn't start off well, or what if he didn't get a good night sleep and was tired or what if he wasn't up to hearing my sarcastic words first thing in the morning. God has such a way of showing me His way. A lesson to be learned and He shared the lesson with me in 2 Peter. I am far from having it all together, but if I am willing to listen to what God has for me and humble myself enough to know that I can learn from my mistakes, He will show me a better way through His word. I have been given everything I need to live a righteous life as He shares His glory and goodness in the promises He has given me. They are found in His word and the only way I can know them is by reading them. 
     My goal is to do that which is pleasing in His sight. So, after reading this morning, praying and repenting, I had a much different greeting to share with those I met today. I want others to see a smile on my face that will fill their hearts with joy just as Peter shared in his letter. I will be more aware of how I greet those God puts in my path each day. The best part of my day today, was that it began with a smile of joy and it lasted all day long. 
Lord, I pray that my days will begin with peace, joy and love which is  expressed on the outside and felt from the inside.