A local Church was hosting a blood drive through the Red Cross last week. They took over the building’s fellowship hall, and people were coming by all afternoon to donate. The goal was to get several gallons to bless the local hospital, especially through the holiday season. It is an interesting endeavor as the nurses were there to take blood from people willing to donate it for the benefit of others.

That night I was scrolling through the movies on my streaming service and saw the Twilight series of films about a group of vampires. Vampires are fictional characters that subsist by feeding on the blood of the living. They also collect blood from people, but it is for their benefit only.

The next day two different people came through the front door of my Church to visit. One walked out, leaving me full of joy and peace afterward. The other left me feeling sad and depleted. One wanted to serve others with the grace of God. One wanted to take from the Church and complain while doing it. One smiled and spoke of blessings, while the other had only depressing stories of defeat. One of them came bringing life, and the other came to suck the life out of me.

Everyone walks through their day, making an impact on others. Are you like the Red Cross or a vampire?