Tuesday; April 2

Have you ever wanted to make a difference, but never knew what to do? Maybe a more direct way of asking this question is have you ever thought about making a difference, but never got around to doing it? A lot of us have good intentions, we just never quite follow through. It is a common issue – and it is one that is pretty easily fixed.
To make a difference in people’s lives, we must have two things. First, we need to have the attitude – we have to want to help people. There are a lot of reasons to do good – tax deductions, political agendas, guilt, etc. – but the most compelling reason is because we want to be good neighbors. We just want to help people. While this is probably the best starting point, it is also where the road to good intentions can meet the path of least resistance and we end up just “wanting” to do something. To make a difference, we have to add action to our attitude. It isn’t enough to just think about it, we must act on it. The good news when it comes to action is that it doesn’t have to be some grandiose plan, it just needs to be some sort of follow-through. We just need to capitalize on our want to and do! We can do something grand if we have the ability, but honestly all we need to do is just something good that benefits others. Maybe it is taking a foster child shopping or dropping off a meal at homeless shelter. It could be as simple as reading at the Nursing Home or volunteering at the neo-natal wing of the local hospital. What we do may not be as important as doing something!
The New Testament reminds us of the need to combine action with attitude by noting, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17). Let’s not be afraid to make a difference, all it typically takes is follow-though.
Think About It!

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