"You will never know how many [people] your generosity of time and talent has touched. But God knows." Kay StromI asked my husband once, if he had to give up one of his ministry involvements, which would he let go of? To put this into perspective it helps to know that when I asked this question Wayne was the leader of AWANA at our church, and had been for almost thirty years. He was also the chaplain of the local chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA) where we ministered most weekends.
In AWANA he shared the love of God with kids. In CMA he shared the love of God with adults, many of them former veterans and others who still carried the scars and resentments of a life lived without God. His answer surprised me at first, until I learned why. He said, hands down he would never want to stop working with kids. He explained, when you impact a child’s life by leading them into a relationship with Jesus, you impact dozens—if not hundreds—of lives as a result…like the ripple effect of a pebble dropped into a pond. Now, Wayne loves to ride his Harley, but he loves to see people come to know Jesus even more. He doesn’t need to know who or how many, he just trusts that when you introduce a child to how God loves them, others will benefit also. One time I thought I was introducing my husband to the husband of a friend that lived in the next town. Before I finished, my friend’s husband said, “Mr. Worden, good to see you.” When I heard "Mr. Worden" I knew he was a former AWANA kid. It turns out he was now a youth pastor himself. No telling how many people were in his ripple effect: students, parents, siblings, teachers, classmates... I no longer feel concerned with how many people I will reach through my life's work, or what my legacy will be. I consider myself a success when I'm doing what God has called me to do. It was God that said to "go into all the world" not "report back how many lives you changed." It's a relief to understand that it's God's place to multiply the effectiveness, because I have no control over it in the first place. Do you have an area in your life where you’re concerned about your effectiveness? How do you measure your effectiveness: feedback, number of 'followers,' sales, profits, awards, recognition…? Are you ready to let go of arbitrary measures and trust God for the ripple effect? Lord, thank You that I don’t need to know ‘who or how many,’ that my efforts are never in vain when I am obedient to fulfill Your revealed will for me. Amen “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.” I Corinthians 12:4-6 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: Kay Strom is an author based in Oregon who has written more than thirty books. Kay and her husband, Dan Kline, are inspirational speakers/trainers who have spoken to over 100,000 people in more than twenty countries.
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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