We each have a uniquely wonderful opportunity today to make the world a little bit better for those around us.
Whether you’re the janitor, the CEO, the office worker, the fork lift driver, the stay at home parent, the college student, the professor/teacher, the policeman, the struggling artist, the waitress, the government employee, the surgeon, the receptionist, or wherever your day will take you — there will be opportunity.
You may be talented at helping someone learn something new — then share wisdom with someone today.
You may be talented at remaining calm and consistent rather than being led around by your passions and desires — then be there alongside those who are struggling and hurting.
You may be someone who has been forgiven and who is good at forgiving — then be there alongside those who are overly critical, depressed and anxious.
We don’t have to “fix” others and there is rarely any help in “judging” others either — especially when we don’t know their whole story or situation. But we can serve and love everyone and anyone — with a high probability of positive impact.
Why would we do this — And how can we do this?
Pragmatically speaking, the world is always a better place when people love and care for each other rather than compete and war against each other for power and position. And positive change is not a single hero changing the world, it is a cascading avalanche or wild fire that builds larger and larger from initial small acts that are repeated and amplified.
We decide to turn and take one small step in the right direction. We are intentional and purposeful with our time, our words, our actions, and our resources. We chose to do something that is about others and not ourselves. Then we repeat this again and again as opportunities present themselves — because we are eagerly watching and waiting to see them appear in our day.
We cannot control whether or not they will be seen, appreciated, or inspiring. Our one act may not can a flame that spreads throughout our circle of influence, yet we have still made a difference. Or it may have a widespread impact as it stirs a chain of people to also “pay it forward”, yet we never know or recognize it. Still a difference has been made.
As a Christian, I do not live to be the face of some new movement or to take credit for starting the fire by some act of loving service. I look at the life example and teachings of Jesus Christ about selfless love — I see what He did for me through the cross — and I trust and believe in His resurrection and in His ensuring Kingdom both here in earth and in Heaven — and I follow Him. He not only inspires me through His life example, but He gives me strength to love and serve others through the Holy Spirit.
If you are struggling with the “why” and the “how” of knowing your purpose, seeing the opportunities, believing you can make a difference, or being strong enough to do it on your own — I encourage you to look to Jesus. Look to His promises. Speak with Him today in prayer. If you don’t know how to do this on your own, reach out to me and I will be happy to introduce you to my sweet friend Jesus. God bless you my friends! May your life today bring glory to God, and hope, love, peace and the fruit of blessing to those you encounter! Amen.
1 Peter 4:10 AMP
[10] Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor].
Harold J. Ballinger 
As my day nears the end, I look back at my devotional from this morning and I ask myself, “How did the day go?”
I can’t say that this one morning devotional made any huge change or impact on my day. There was no amazing moment where I knew that I had made someone’s day better. We had 49 new helpdesk tickets come in at work today and I tried to work every one of them for God’s glory and to be the most hero that I could be to the most people. But there was no hero moment. There wasn’t anything particularly spectacular or notable in my day. And that’s probably a good thing, too.
If something amazing had happened I would have probably taken credit for it or been proud in some way that was about me and not about He.
In fact, God has a track record of using the common rather than the skilled, talented or amazing. So maybe in the common moments I’ve left margin for Him to show up, for Him to move in Spirit, Truth and Power that is so much better than what I might have wiped up myself?
Today on the ride into work, I prayed and confessed so many things that I know where I’ve missed the mark. I confessed that I am prone to be critical and impatient at times, that my time behind the wheel of a vehicle is not fully surrendered and for the glory of God, that my eyes and mind can be distracted by lays of the flesh even though I have more than I could ever desire in my wonderful wife, that I am not a very good or faithful friend to those around me, that I can be close handed when my budget gets tight instead of trusting God to honor the seed of generosity that we sow. The list goes on.
But today I chose to take a step, then another step, purposefully and intentionally. Looking back at where my life has been at different times, that’s truly a blessing that I’m living that way now.
God bless you my friends.
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