How do you answer “How are you?” Do you tell someone you’re feeling puny? That you have a new bunion on your toe? That you have a crick in your back? That your Aunt Bessie paid you a visit and gave you a cold? Hello? Do they even care? If you’re doing good do you tell them? Some people seem disappointed when I reply, “I’m blessed, healthy, happy, and wise.” They seem to want me to say that I’m sick, tired, depressed, and as cranky as they are.

The next time someone asks me, “How are you?” I’m going to tell them the truth whether they want to hear it or not! “How am I?” I’m blessed! For “God blesses the godly and surrounds them with His shield of love” (Psalm 5:12 NLT). Through Jesus’ grace and mercy there is forgiveness and God surrounds me with His shield of love. But since most people won’t wait long enough for me to say all of that I just reply, “I’m blessed!’

What becomes a real dilemma is when someone greets you with, “What’s new?” Do they really want to know? Why would they ask if they didn’t want to know? Should we tell them? How much do you tell? Is there anything new in your life?

“What’s new?” God’s mercies are new every morning. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him” (Lamentations 3:22-25 KJV). What’s new? “He has put a new song in my mouth” (Psalm 40:3). “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34).

What’s new? A new heart. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit says unto the churches: To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it” (Revelation 2:17). Hello! Do you hear what the Holy Spirit is saying? Those who repent and live overcoming lives will be given the “hidden manna” – Jesus, a white stone of pardon, and a new name.

The greatest greetings and salutations are found in the holy, inspired Word of God. The Angel Gabriel gave an awesome greeting to a young virgin over 2,000 years ago, “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the Angel Gabriel to Nazareth . . . to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph . . . Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! . . . God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:26:38 NLT). How would you answer such a greeting if you were that young virgin girl?

What was Mary’s reply to the angel’s greeting? “How can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy and he will be called the Son of God . . . For nothing is impossible with God.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant and I am willing to accept whatever he wants.”

Let’s respond to greetings and salutations by giving glory to God. His mercies are new every morning. Nothing is impossible with God.

Study the greetings of the apostles in their letters to the church. They will bless you when you appropriate them into your life by faith.

“May grace and peace be yours from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. He died for our sins just as God, our Father, planned in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. That is why all glory belongs to God through all the ages of eternity. Amen. (Galatians 1:3-4 NLT)

What’s new in your life?