WHO WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

 

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the
Father by Him. 

 

 Life . . . what’s it all about anyway?  Why did God create me?  What earthly good am I? When I am gone from this world what will others have to say about me?  What is the purpose for this life?  I get up, go to work, come home, go to bed and then tomorrow I get up and do the same things all over again.  What is life all about anyway?  

 

We’ve all probably had questions like these floating around in our heads, even if we don’t voice them out loud.  My husband and I have been talking about some of the same things at different times for several years. I think as we get older questions seem to come to mind on a regular basis.  Sometimes we get answers and sometimes we may go our entire lives wondering and still getting no answers.  Then at other times we may get a few things figured out and then right behind those come another truckload of questions.

 

Recently my husband and I had the pleasure of touring the Ink & Blood exhibits which came to our city in Lexington, Kentucky.  The word “ink” stands for the ink which was used to print Bibles and the word “blood” stands for the actual blood that was shed in order for us to have a Bible translated in our own language. 

 

The exhibits were filled with ancient Bibles and artifacts, including fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls that were found in 11 long-forgotten caves above the shore of the Dead Sea at a site called Qumran between 1947 and 1956. Needless to say, for everyone who appreciates the written Word of God it was indeed amazing to see actual fragments of the books such as Genesis, Isaiah and Jeremiah.  

 

We also saw the Parisian Bible dated 1250. The Geneva Bible was brought over by the Pilgrims in 1620.  It was said that from this particular Bible an Indian woman named Pocahontas was taught from the Holy Scriptures. 

 

As we sat waiting to see a demonstration of how a replica of a printing press was used to print one page at a time, I was taken aback at the wonder of what I had seen. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of the sacrifices men such as John Wyclif, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, Miles Cloverdale and many others truly made, even putting their very lives on the line and risking death all for the sake of someone like me to have my own Bible. 

 

As I continued to reflect on what we had seen, I thought of how William Tyndale (1494-1536) lost his life all for the sake of making sure that there was an English translation of the Bible for the common people. Tyndale saw a true need for men and women to have a Bible in a language they could understand.  He was imprisoned and remained there 500 days until he was choked to death and then burned at the stake.  

 

At the time of Wyclif’s life (1320-1384), it was illegal for the Scriptures to even be spoken in what they called the “vile language called English.” If anyone was suspected of even having a “Wyclif Bible” he or she was hunted down and burned alive, along with their Bible.

 

This reflection into the past made me see even more that there is a great need for everyone to do something in this world of ours to make a difference. I’ll be honest with you, the exhibits we saw inspired me more than ever to do something with this life of mine.  I don’t want to idly sit back and do nothing while the world goes to hell and lives to go unchanged.  I want to make a difference, no matter where I am or what I am doing.  Men, women, boys and girls, can all make a difference in some way or another.  Everyone has a calling from God and we can use whatever He gives us to do something in one way or another to be of help to someone, somewhere. 

 

The Apostle Paul made a tremendous difference. I have thought many times of the sacrifice he made. I’m reminded of a particular passage from 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 that verifies his sufferings all for the sake of Jesus Christ and being of help to the Christians of that day and time. Paul said he had been in prison, flogged, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked three times and was in the open sea for a night and a day.  He said he had been in danger, had gone without sleep, had known hunger and thirst, had been cold and without clothing.  Even though Paul suffered all of these hardships and trials, he continued to have a tremendous concern for all the churches.  In fact, he wrote his greatest letters from prison and in chains!

 

Recently I spoke with a lady that told me that she and three other women had gone from church to church and collected $15,000 in order for them to buy land in Guatemala because a particular village had no medical facility.  All I can say is, “Wow!”  This will definitely make a difference to the village.  Sometimes we must work “shoulder to shoulder” to make a difference.  (Zephaniah 3:9)

 

I was touched yesterday at lunch by a friend of mine who told me that her and her husband go into a trailer park every Wednesday evening and teach children, teenagers and one mother who might not otherwise go to church.  As of now, they have 20 people to attend.  They have no building, but they sit outside in chairs and teach them from the Word of God! She was told by the one mother who attends that she wants them to continue coming there because for the first time her two sons are reading the Bible. Thank God for this dedicated couple who are truly making a difference in people’s lives. 

 

Even if our ministries are small, we can make a difference.  Whether our ministry is cleaning the church, nursery ministry, having a card ministry, visiting a nursing home or the elderly, prison ministry or even being a stay-at-home mom and ministering to the needs of our children, we can do all for the glory of God. 

 

Not long ago, I heard Paul Harvey tell about an 11 year old boy who made a tremendous difference in his area of the country. The young boy became so concerned about the hungry people in his city that he decided to ask his principal if he would allow the leftover food from the cafeteria to be distributed to them. It had to be taken up with the school board and once they talked about it, they were very much in favor and allowed the leftover food to be distributed from all the schools on the district to those in need.  What a courageous little boy!  I think we can all take lessons from him!

 

James 4:14 (NKJV) tells us that life is a vapor, that it appears for a short time and then vanishes away.  In other words, our lives pass by so very fast. I was praying on my deck the other night while I looked up into the sky.  As I watched the clouds to my right move very quickly across the darkness, what seemed to be large puffy clouds suddenly dispersed and were no longer even visible.  That is what our lives are like. We’re here one day and then we suddenly are no longer and we go back to the dust from where we came. I want my life to make a difference to those around me, don’t you? I hope you will be encouraged to go out there in this world and speak words of encouragement to someone today, send someone a nice card, make someone’s day by letting them know that Jesus loves them, or any number of things that can be done that only you have the anointing for.  Whatever you feel God leading you to do, do it with all your heart and as unto Him.  (Col. 3:17) I can tell you that you will be blessed more than you can imagine. 

 

So what about you? Do you have any answers concerning your life and what you feel that you want to do? How would you like to make a difference in your world around you?One thing is for sure, and that it is God’s will for all of us to make a difference. 

  

Prayer: Father, I thank You because of the ministries you have called us to, whether it be large or small.  I know that whatever we do for You is so important to You no matter how insignificant we feel it is.  I pray that You will bless all of us in our ministries and that You will help us to always do Your divine will when we feel that nudge from the Spirit. Lord, calm every fear that would hold us back from moving forward and pursuing the calling of God on our lives.  Touch us Lord and help us to always trust in You.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen. 

 

Go forward in FAITH my Brothers and Sisters!