What are you doing (or will you do) to change the world around you? The choice and power lies within you.

 

Our ability to reach a much wider audience with the “good works” James talked about is as far reaching as we allow it to be. Our influence has the capacity to reach farther, faster than even a decade ago. Just look at the potential to use social media, email,  texting, and phone calls (to name a few). Using these options, in addition to our face-to-face encounters with family and friends, workplace contacts, and oftentimes impromptu meetings that display our Christian values, can make a world of difference.

 

What influences you? On a daily basis and anytime we turn on the television or radio, we are bombarded with advertising campaigns, political ads, and other media that tries to influence the decisions that we make. Are you holding what you hear, see, and read up to the pages of Scripture for comparison? Are you pausing long enough to dig deep into what you are seeing, hearing, and reading to ascertain the truth according to God’s Word?  Are we making the most of the influence that we have on our inner circle to effect positive end results?

 

When you are uncertain of when to act and when not to, use this test: Does it reflect the love of God? If it does not, don’t say it, don’t post it, and certainly don’t do it.

 

Again I ask, “What are you doing (or will you do) to change the world around you?” Will you share a kind word or a smile with someone who crosses your path even if they are very different from you? Or will you extend another simple gesture of love - holding a door and letting someone enter in front of you or waiting a few moments for someone behind you to approach so that you can extend a greeting or bless them with another kind gesture? Or will you simply refuse to share a post that shows lack of justice, love, mercy, and/or humility? Or support something or someone who incites hatred of another?

 

Remember the words attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “The deeds you do may be the only sermon some person will hear today.”

 

Let’s do ministry together!

 

You are loved,

 

Pastor Karen