Making A Difference

UV 1594/10000 Making a Difference
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Jude 1 v 22

The evidence of God and the devil is in the good and evil in our lives and in the world. Our consciences are like compasses whose needles are swerving around to keep pointing out both the north- the way of God, the straight, narrow and steep path to heaven as well as downward to the opposite south- the way of the enemy- the smooth, broad, easy way all the way down into the belly of the earth. There is certainly a gravitational pull towards the latter direction but leadership is all about direction- finding the right direction that in the long term will amount to our good, our present and eternal good. When we receive Jesus into our hearts by faith, we also receive a GPS or God’s Positioning System in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are filled with the spirit of compassion and not the spirit of judgement and self righteousness. Like St Paul we need to think of ourselves as the worst of sinners, guilty of every act of violating the absolutely good standards of the Lord but we receive the compassion of God to be declared good and righteous by faith and grace. Having been recipients of compassion, unearned and unmerited, we are now to extend the same hope of compassion to all people in our circles.

Apart from extending compassion to others, we are called to make a difference in this world, in our professions, in our workplace and wherever we are. We are to make conscientious and persistent efforts to improve life around us in small and big ways. We can make a difference by wiping someone’s tears, by comforting or helping someone in distress. The Lord demonstrated and taught us that the purpose of life is not the pursuit of our own happiness but in helping others overcome their sorrows and find hope, our lives are both blessed and a blessing.

The Lord will enable us to make a difference by imparting certain fruit of the spirit in us and by giving us some special gifts of the spirit that will enable us to meet the spiritual and holistic need of the people we are called to lead and serve. A leader is someone who has had something happen in his or her life that made a big difference. Leadership is all about multiplying that experience of advancement, of well being, of breakthrough in the lives of others. We make the greatest difference by bringing hope into the lives of the hopeless, love into the lives of the unloved, care into the lives of the uncared for.

Prateep V Philip