By Chris WittsSaturday 8 Jul 2023Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
Some people say I can never make a difference in my world. After all, who am I? I’ve got nothing much to offer. This is not correct for anything significant that’s happened in history, it has always started with one person and a determination, and you don’t have to be famous or have great wealth to make a difference.
I have heard of ordinary people like you and me who give 3 to 6 months to go overseas and help a project as a volunteer, and they come back changed with a new outlook on life. Something special happened to them, and it was John F Kennedy who said one person can make a difference and everyone should try. I’m also aware of that, saying I cannot do everything, but still I can do something and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
So when things go wrong, don’t despair. You can make a difference, get busy, do it. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge and accept what’s already happened, because you can take what it is. Whatever it might be and use it to make a positive difference. There’s no need to worry about whether or not you’re lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
It’s always the right place to make a difference, and making a difference demands much of you in the way of time, effort, skill and commitment. Fortunately, you’re capable of giving all that and more in the service of making a meaningful difference. So everything that happens is an opportunity to make a difference.
For many years, I was a member of Rotary International, a community service organisation that’s committed to making a difference in the world. It was a worthwhile time, and I saw for myself what people can do to make the world a better place. Did you know the Bible makes it clear that we can make a difference? This is his world. It’s God’s world. He created us for a reason.
The Apostle Paul explains it well. In Ephesians, Chapter two, God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. That’s why he sent Christ to make us what we are. The amazing thing is that when you help and serve others, you’re in fact serving God. Often, I’ve heard someone say I’m a nobody. What impact will I ever make now? This is quite unfortunate because we can do something unique, especially when God is at the centre of our lives.
Through him, we can impact others, and we wrongly think that we’ve got to wait for some big event to happen. Anne Frank, in her diary of a young girl, wrote how wonderful it is that no one need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. I read about a group of nuns who were given a holiday trip through the Rocky Mountains where they’d never been before, and they were filled with awe as they marveled at the wonder of the majestic Mountains.
But every time they stopped to enjoy the view, one particular nun would slip away by herself. One day, the others decided to follow her to see what she was up to. They watched her as she walked up the gully she bent down, reached under a big rock and then turned the rock upside down. She brushed her hands, turned back to walk onto the trail and the whole order of nuns were standing there watching her. Margaret, what are you doing?
“I’m turning over a rock,” she replied. “Well, why are you doing that? Do you do that every time?” “Yes,” “Why?” And she said, “because I’ll never pass this way again. And it’s my intent to make a difference while I was here. So I turned some rocks over so that this place is different because I passed here.” A simple story, perhaps, but it helps me to see the impact of doing something, even a simple act of kindness that is real worthwhile.
Whenever you serve others in any way, you are actually serving God and fulfilling one of your purposes. We were placed on this planet for a special assignment.
Let’s Pray
Dear God, I know I can make a difference. Even though sometimes I feel I can’t; please point me in the right direction and help anyone, Lord, who needs to know the assurance that they are special and can have some impact today. Amen.