Changing THE world and Changing YOUR world

Posted on 26. Oct, 2009 by Brett in God

I wrote a post last week called “Of Candyland and Gotham.” It was just a simple call for all of us to wake up and take action on what’s going on in the world. Over the weekend I got a great comment from a reader, an old friend from Alabama, Pam. She wrote:

“I find it interesting that I read this tonight after a presentation on missions at church this morning. My 10 year old has always been intrigued by the food pantry ministry at church. This rekindled her interest, and she wants to get involved.

So how am I changing the world? Don’t know really that I am. But if I can foster my 10 year old daughter’s love for missions, then one day she may be the one that makes the world different.”

What a phenomenal point.

I think in our minds we make a distinction between changing THE world and changing OUR world. THE world = poverty or AIDS or homelessness. OUR world = work and traffic and taking the kids to school.

But I’m not sure the distinction is as big as we think. World change has many different faces.

Changing the world might smell like chocolate chip muffins coming out of the oven,

Or it might smell like a poopy diaper.

Changing the world might look like a wrinkled smile from one of your patients at the nursing home,

Or it might look like a cheek, turned for the 500th time to that bitter girl at the office.

Changing the world might feel like a grateful hug from two little stick-arms after a trip to McDonald’s,

Or it might feel like a hook stuck in your finger on a fishing trip with your kiddo.

Changing the world might taste like ramen noodles and encouraging conversation with a teary roommate,

Or it might taste like the bitter pill of grief over the loss of a friend in a car wreck.

How many times have I missed God in the ordinary? How often do I skip through my day–blindfolded–missing the gargantuan opportunities served up by the mundane life? I stand in the shadow of Everest with binoculars pressed to my face, scanning the horizon for higher peaks.

“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.” — G.K. Chesterton

Dear Lord, give us eyes to see you in the ordinary and the grace to maximize every opportunity.

3 Responses to “Changing THE world and Changing YOUR world”

  1. Bevin

    26. Oct, 2009

    What a great post and one I needed to read this morning. There are so many times I look at my life as a wife, a mom, an employee and think, is there not something BIG I can do with my life. Reading this, something I really already know, reminds me the something BIG I am doing with my life (and will be the biggest thing that I ever do) is shaping a 3 year olds heart and mind and soul, and pretty much everything. Something BIG is showing him over and over that I adore and cherish and am totally in love with him. Something BIG is figuring out how to teach and discipline without breaking that little spirit! Something BIG is showing him and his daddy that they are the MOST important thing in my life, right now and forever!! All that isn’t even counting the 26 ladies and church staff that I work with daily and the 15 ladies I come in contact with through Corey’s basketball team, and the 600 church members I see regularly and the 125 kids I see everyday, along with their parents. I think if we all just look at the ways we can change “our” world everyday, we will see such awesome opportunities in just the regular everyday activities, because they really aren’t that “regular” and they can be life changing! Ok, I kinda went off on a tangent…my bad!! :)

  2. Doug

    26. Oct, 2009

    I think the true relation here is realizing that changing the world starts by changing your world. How could we ever possibly make an impact on a world issue like AIDS without having to transform our own worlds? Shaping the hearts and minds of the next generation to be sensitive to the need for change in this world is a great mission, but it is not our only mission. Our taking action is the greatest testament to those around us. Whether it is serving the poor locally through a food pantry or sending ipods overseas filled with the message of the gospel, this world will change when we rise up and see that our little effort is needed to start a revolution from within.

    Great thoughts.

  3. lisa slusher

    26. Oct, 2009

    Goes right along with what God is speaking to my heart lately. Presently reading FORGOTTEN GOD by Francis Chan and one chapter is entitled “Forget about God’s Will”. In that chapter he makes the point that we spend so much time doing nothing waiting on “God’s Will” and miss what God wants to do with us TODAY. Today has a purpose and i need to make more of my todays count!!

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