Day 19: world changers

Recently our church has added “ Equipping World Changers” as a tag line on its materials.   The phrase has been rattling around in my brain and heart, making me wonder how my life lines up with those three bold words.

Are world changers the ones who change corporate spread sheets, who preach to thousands or move somewhere exotic for the gospel?

Here I sit, in my small blue house with the bright red door in an ordinary university town in Southern California, and the only preaching I have done lately is to my three kids and sometimes it all just seems so small. 

Last week I learned about a need, a practical need that I could meet, and one that stirred my heart.  A good friend of my Mom’s has a grown daughter who is going through cancer treatment.  She is a single Mama to two middle schoolers and, as is no surprise, she is struggling.  I could help by purchasing snacks, filling brown paper bags with food that her two growing ones could easily fix for themselves. 

Saturday, as I pushed my cart through the commissary aisles, I threw in some Easy Mac, Top Ramen and Cup of Noodles.  I grabbed cookies and fruit cups, apples and oranges, praying for this Mama and these kids, thanking God for the Body of Christ and the opportunity to serve.   

Somewhere between aisle 14 & 15 it hit me, the memory of a dear friend at my door, arms laden with bags full of  fruit cups, cookies and crackers, stocking my cupboards with snacks I could feed to my littles during the days when our family walked through the valley. 

I delivered the bags to my Mom’s friend today.  I asked about her daughter, I hugged her and looked into her damp eyes, rejoicing at the hint of good news and marveling at the strength and faith a Mama has to have to watch her child suffer.

Seemingly small acts of service can change the world.  I know because they have changed mine.  Every time I take my eyes off of myself, listen to God’s prompting and respond in loving service, I am changing the world, MY world…His world.

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