There are few in the world today that would say they don't want to make a difference. Most people want to make a difference. Most people want to find an opportunity to impact others and have their lives count for something special. As humans we come to different times in our life when we ask our selves, "What has my life counted for?" Good question. An important question. God uses people to impact others. His desire for us is impact others for his glory.
How can we make a difference? What does it take to have a lasting impact. Below are three things that I keep my eye on if I want to have a lasting impact on others.
1. Be Faithful to Opportunity
Having a lasting impact often starts with the small things. It does not take a great opportunity to have a lasting or great impact. Lasting Impact results from being faithful to the opportunities right in front of us. Luke 16:10 "He who is faithful with little will be faithful with much."
One positive Biblical Example is David in his encounter with Goliath
How does the story of David and Goliath begin?
There was a Giant tormenting the army of Israel and David decided he would go out and beat the giant so that everyone would know that there is a God in Israel. NO!
Take a closer look at how the story begins in 1 Samuel 17:12-17
12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul's time he was old and well advanced in years. 13 Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
17 Now Jesse said to his son David, "Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines."
David facing the Giant began with being faithful to what his dad told him to do.
"Take this bread to your brothers and take this cheese to the commander."
I call this the "Bread and Cheese Rule" Life is made up more of Bread and Cheese opportunities than of Giant slaying opportunities.
In order to have a lasting impact be faithful with the Bread and Cheese opportunity and other opportunities may present themselves.
2. Pursue a life of Integrity
In order to have a lasting impact, your public and private life should cohere.
The way I treat my wife at home in private should be match up with the way I treat her in public. or Who I am at church on Sunday should cohere with who I am at work, at the gym or at the beach.
This point relates to our heart attitude of living an open and honest life.
One bad biblical example is the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law -- Jesus was getting on the teachers of the law and the Pharisees for this all the time. The Pharisees had a place of prominence in the society and they taught one thing but did something else. Or they did the right thing but they did it for the wrong motive.
Matthew 23:25 says, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."
Any positive impact we have will be suspect if over time we are continually doing a flip flop on what our values are.
This goes deeper than just me being compassionate at home and in public. Jesus focused his criticism of the pharisees on their interior motives.
It is one thing to "act right" in all circles of life and quite another to deal with the interior motive behind our actions. The motive of greed, pride, self-indulgence must be dealt with if we are going to have a lasting impact.
To have a lasting impact we must pursue a life of integrity by allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us and change our interior motives.
3. Identify & Share God's work in your life
Sharing God's work is often called giving a testimony or sharing the gospel. One important thing to consider here is that it doesn't have to be a big deal.
Honestly, I am a bit ashamed to say this but often times my tendency is to downplay or minimize God's activity in my life.
My wife and I moved to Vancouver to be a part of this Church plant. When we moved I was on staff at the church as associate pastor. Recently I have started working full time secular job and people often ask, "Why did you come here?" or "What made you decide to come and start a church?" It is funny my answers some times are so diplomatic. I find myself minimizing the fact that God spoke to us, provided the opportunity and means for us to be here and even though we've encountered hardships he's asked us to stay.
Why is that so hard for me?
I'm not sure but it is something that God is working on with me.
I am ashamed that I seem to find a way in certain circumstances to minimize God's work in my life.
In order to have a lasting impact it is critical to take time to identify God's work and then find opportunity to share what God has been up to in our lives.
Conclusion
Two personal stories as a conclusion to this article.
Recently my wife was in the laundry room at our building and a neighbour asked her, "Why she needed a relationship with Jesus?" Great question. At this point my wife is faced with a choice. Blow off this opportunity... Minimize the role of God's work in her life... or speak honestly of what God has been doing in her life..
How many times do you face a similar opportunity in the everyday ordinary encounters of your life.
Another friend in church told me of a friend of his who is not a believer but is a professor at the University of British Columbia. This professor told my friend Clint that he was very impressed with Clints honesty about his faith. The professor mentioned that Clint does not back down from his beliefs or make excuses for his faith. Clint had a lasting impact on this man because he was honest about his beliefs about God.
Now that you have finished reading this please take time and consider
1. What are the small simple opportunities that I have in my life to be faithful to pray for or encourage others?
2. Are you living openly and honestly? Remember your impact with be hindered if you are not pursuing integrity.
3. Are you minimizing God's work in your life? Find some time to share with someone what God is up to in your life.
Author Resource:-
Rodney Bartlett is married as is the father of 3 little ones. He relocated to Canada in 2002 to be a part of starting a new church in Vancouver BC called the Bridge. Rodney is the worship leader and the leads a small group at the Bridge.
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