How do we evaluate others? We can look at intelligence, skills, and education. We factor in certain traits. Friendly or antagonistic? Humble or arrogant? Committed or getting by? Then there's integrity. Is she honest? Will he do what's right? Can I trust him? Will she follow through?

We also evaluate our relationships---close friends or acquaintances, family or strangers, employees or coworkers. We measure their actions and determine if the relationship is worth our time and effort. When they don't meet our standards, we invest that time and effort elsewhere.

I've been blessed to meet many people. Yet even with their vastly different backgrounds, I often knew what kind of person they were with one simple question: Do they honor their word?

From corporate executives and contractors to clients and pastors, how they kept their promises determined the foundation of any relationship. "I'll pay my bill." "You can count on me." "We will definitely have a meeting." "I'll get right back to you."

When promises were not kept, I felt ignored and often wondered, "Do you treat everyone this way, or just me?" The answer determined the nature of the relationship from that point on.

I thought of this recently as I examined my relationship with God. As I listed the things I'd done for Him lately, it occurred to me that we really hadn't spoken in a while. I mean a real conversation---I talk and God listens; He talks and I listen. (Not necessarily in that order.)

I was so busy spending time for Him that I wasn't spending time with Him. Early morning chats. Long afternoon walks. Silent evenings watching stars dance across the sky. Somehow I'd come to ignore Him. I could almost hear Him ask, Do you treat everyone this way, or just me?

The question cut me to the core. God is my Heavenly Father, my closest friend, the one who counsels and guides me in all that is good. Yet memories rushed back of when I had not kept my word to meet Him, walk with Him, follow Him, remember Him.

Ignoring someone is a choice. Something else becomes greater, more important, more desirable, and we choose to turn away. When that happens to us, we are hurt. Yet how often we do the same to those around us...even the Creator of the Universe!

Maybe instead of first looking at others, we should ask, Do I keep my promises and honor my word? And before questioning where is God and if He truly hears us, perhaps...just perhaps...we should ask, Have I been ignoring You?

It is impossible to develop meaningful relationships if we fail to keep our word. It is impossible to love and encourage others if we choose to ignore them. And it is impossible to follow God if we pretend He isn't there.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, "We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him." *

The world is filled with God's presence. He is always with us. When we ignore Him, He never turns away. Despite how we treat Him, He loves us beyond measure! And His love...we cannot ignore.