“UNKNOWINGLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE”

“UNKNOWINGLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE”

Monday, May 2nd, 2022

SCRIPTURE:

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

– Matthew 6:1-4

THOUGHTS TO PONDER:

Recently, I had the privilege of going on a school field trip to the zoo with my wife and her special needs class she teaches. I learned that the father of two of the children that she serves is also a pastor. As the Lord has called us to this special ministry of serving pastor’s and their families, we never would have guessed that while teaching in a local school, my wife would have such a connection. Who’d of thought? What a blessing!!!

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:

Did you know that the work you do as a pastor has the potential of blessing others in ways you may never even realize? Our personal and professional lives have the power to bear witness to Christ in ways that we may have never thought of or even expected.

Because of your faithfulness to preach and teach the Word of God, to love on the people God has entrusted to you, and to faithfully live your life as a 24/7 Disciple of Christ, you are making an eternal impact in the lives of others… and you may not even know it. Sure, sometimes church members share with us the impact our witness is having in their life. However, often times, we may never know how much we mean to others.

People are watching how we as clergy persons live our lives within our respective congregations AND out in the community. Whether it be a smile, a firm handshake, a word of encouragement spoken or written, your actions as a disciple of Christ have the power to transform lives. We often never know the impact we have on people. Sometimes we may not know the impact until many years later, and sometimes we may never know. But together, we are planting seeds of hope. Together, we are co-missionaries for Christ, bearing witness to who Jesus is NOT just within our own church settings, but out in our communities as well. Keep up the great work!!! Be encouraged in knowing that YOU are making a difference whether you really even know if or not! You are a blessing to Christ and His Church!

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, empower me to live my entire life for your glory. Whether I am at home, at church, out and about in our community, talking to a neighbor or someone at the grocery store, may Your Holy Spirit living within me radiate Your love to everyone I meet. Help me to never take for granted the awesome privilege of bearing witness to Your Great Love. Be glorified in my personal life and in my church ministry and may both (my personal and professional life) be woven together in a glorious testimony of Your perfect love. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus. – AMEN.

RESOURCE & APPLICATION:

Take a few moments to write down every single place that you have gone yesterday. Then try and remember every person you came in contact with. (Ie: mailman, gas station attendant, nursing home secretary, hospital receptionist, drs and nurses, your neighbor, your own family, church members, stock boy in the grocery store, post office worker, etc…) As you reflect on each person you’ve run into, pause and pray for them. And pray for how you may interact with them again in the event you run into them again sometime.