What are you doing to make a difference?

“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

     I’ve been rather busy today, but the whole day my mind hasn’t wandered too far from the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. In many ways his “I have a dream” speech has come to fruition but in many ways we are still a long ways from being where he dreamed we would be today. I can only speak from my perspective and my white culture, so you may or may not agree with me and that’s okay. I see the injustice of many races and it saddens my heart. The media today wants us to hate each other, they promote hate, and drive home the racial differences and injustices to which many respond with violence. 
     Can I challenge you to set aside your culture, political beliefs, and race and instead look at the truth? What truth, you ask? I’m not talking about the truth that I see through my eyes, because my reality is different from the next person, whether that person lives in the same house as me, is my neighbor, works with me, or is a stranger on the street. The truth I’m talking about is found in the Bible. There is no favoritism from God. “Then Peter began to speak: ‘Now I really understand that God doesn’t show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him.” Acts 10:34-35  What is righteousness? According to the web and oxford dictionaries righteousness means: the quality of being morally right or justifiable. The person who fears God and does what is morally right is acceptable to God and this is what we should strive for daily. 
     I’m not sitting here saying that I’m perfect but I am saying that I do try my best to what is right. How much different would this world be if we tried daily to fear God and do what was morally right? Not fear God in a sense of being scared, although we should fear his wrath, but fear him in a respectful manner; like you would fear getting in trouble from your parents for not doing what was right. If we all did what was right, not by man’s standards but by God’s standards we would be so much closer to the dream Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had all those years ago. 
     I’m going to issue you another challenge. As we continue through this week, month, and year think about ways you can make a difference. Then actually do those things. But, I don’t have the money to do what I want to do. I don’t have the time to do what I’d like to do. People might think I’m weird if I start doing things for others. STOP with the excuses! You don’t need money to make a difference, you really don’t even need a lot of time to change a life, and who cares what others might think of you. (Tough one I know) All it takes is a smile, a kind word, a helping hand to make a difference, but by all means, if you can afford to do something big….do it! Listen to God and He will guide you. Go out and make a difference! “Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth.” Colossians 3:2