I was recently compelled to ask myself that very question after listening to the latest sermon from our pastor. He had been teaching a series called Making A Difference over the past several weeks, and it covered some heart wrenching ideas to challenge me about my impact on the world.
As Christians we are mandated to make a difference in the lives of those around us for the specific purpose of pointing the way to a forgiving savior and God who loves them.
Believe it or not all of our actions and words, tell a story to everyone who interacts with us. As christians we have to be mindful of the impact we are having on others. The message of our life is to demonstrate the love of God to others so that they will be drawn to him.
Life is challenging and requires more understanding than what we get in traditional education. For most of us it does not take long to realize that life does not fit into the class room version of what we may have learned in grade school.
It took me a while, after a lot of heartaches and needless pain, to realize that I was not best suited to manage my life with my own knowledge and limited wisdom. It is a very humbling moment when you realize that all of your traditional education does not equip you for the complexities of life.
In grade school, while it may teach you your ABC’s and 123’s, it does nothing to prepare you to deal with the different personality types, or the many challenging situations that will involve conflict with others. Those lessons often come with trial and error.
But what if there was information readily available to help you with the challenges you will face in life? What if that information was tried and proven by others, who have experienced the same challenges of life that you have faced or will face?
When it comes to making a difference in the lives of others, it occurred to me that people need to know that you actually care about them and have some experience with the issues that they face. In this world of superficial people, it is refreshing to see people who really care on a level that you can feel.
Jesus Christ without a doubt was the undisputed example of compassion and loving engagement with others. He interacted with people from all backgrounds, and surprised the people of his day by his open willingness to treat people with value, even though some were rejected by the culture and society.
In our world, we can make a huge difference, by showing people we care and take the time to listen. You never know what people are going through and realize that every one of us need to feel cared for, and that we matter to someone.
All of us have something that we can share with another that will help inspire or encourage. The life lessons we learn from others and their experiences are more valuable than any other type of learning. It can save us from huge mistakes, and thereby saving us needless pain and misery.
So I would encourage you that when you are with people, take the time to get to know what problem they may be facing and then see if there is something you can share with them to help them with new insight.
You would be surprised at just how much of a difference, a genuine heart felt moment can make in the life of another. Will you make the difference in the life of another today?
Eugene Coghill