We may be told that first impressions are important, but God's word reminds us that eternal impressions are far more important. Genesis 23 recounts Sarah's life and death. A woman whose physical beauty we learned in the previous chapters of Genesis left a jaw dropping first impression, but it was her internal beauty that left an account for the ages and reminds us what we look like is much less important than where our life points others.

Living a life of faith involves more than just going through the motions and allowing others to see our good works. Instead, an active faith life requires engagement with the individuals who witness the working out of our faith. Abraham engages with a group of witnesses in Genesis 23, and in doing so, provides us with an example we can copy as we move from having our faith on display to engaging witnesses along our faith journey.

In this world Christians live as strangers and sojourners, just as Abraham did among the people groups God called him to live among. The danger in living in this place, that's not our home, is not so much what others will do to us, but what we will not do because of the fear within us that holds us back from living freely for God in the face of opposition.

What we call ourselves, compared to what God calls us, needs to be kept in constant check because lies easily creep in and cover our true identity in Christ. Genesis 23 reveals a contrast in even how Abraham viewed himself verses the surrounding people, which reminds us that more often than not we are our biggest critic and source of spiraling thoughts abut ourselves.

We often say or pray over others for "traveling mercies," but what does that really mean? Genesis 23 tells of how Abraham required traveling mercies from the people of Hebron because he didn't own land and required a grave site for his wife Sarah. So too when we are in situations where we don't have a home base or we are living on the road, we require mercy from those we encounter on our path so we can do tasks we normally take care of ourselves, but our transient life leaves us unable to do.

Just as God promised Abraham that his obedience would cause long-term benefits, so too does God reward those who obediently follow Him and put their complete trust and faith in the work Jesus accomplished on the cross.