What you do matters. You might not hear how it matters for years to come or maybe live your life never knowing, but be assured, you are making a difference.
With the season of planting upon us, a farmer diligently sows seeds with the expectation of a fall harvest. He labors the acres of fields “sun up – sun down”, his brow dripping in sweat from the summer’s heat, preparing, planting, watering and weeding for the bushels and truckloads a farmer reaps so we can eat.
Being a Difference Maker is that farmer of seeds sown into another life. The fall harvest comes, but maybe decades after you’ve planted the fields.
Years ago my husband David and I were asked to be Difference Makers in the boys and girls 1st and 2nd grade Sunday school class at our church. Being honest that we didn’t have a “want to” spirit didn’t keep us from saying “yes” to those adorable little faces that showed up Sunday after Sunday to be taught the things of Jesus.
Though David and I shared a Sunday school class together, we taught in separate corners of the room; the boys on one side, the girls on the other. This season of teaching was perfect for the “empty-nesters” we had recently become; the void of children in our hearts suddenly burst at the seam from those that called us Mr. Dave and Miss Lori.
Our sweet class had kids from every family background seated at the table; church leadership families, divorced families, single parent families, neighbors of families.
These children had high energy and busy minds which kept us old teachers on our toes. Coming prepared meant they weren’t taking over the class. There were lessons, crafts and special treats of course. Our Sunday mornings together brought much laughter and belief we created an atmosphere for learning about God. A teacher’s heartache though were from those tearful prayer requests of six, seven and eight year olds spanning comfort over the loss of a dog to real fears believing their fighting parents were getting a divorce.
Nurturing and shepherding these little lives that Jesus loved and beckoned to himself (Mark 10:14) was a privilege David and I almost forfeited, yet in saying “yes”, we reaped more in joy for these kids than from our teaching seeds ever sown.
Though stepping down from that position of Difference Makers so many years ago, David and I haven’t forgotten those children that called us Mr. Dave and Miss Lori. Most attend other churches now yet some I have had a front row seat to their growth on Facebook. Your love for them doesn’t change when they move on; albeit another class or church. Seeds were deposited into the fields of their life. They took a part of us with them; yet you wonder if they remember; were you a Difference Maker?
Recently David and I noticed a high school boy we hadn’t seen before at church. He stood out with eyes appearing sad and empty, never looking our way. We watched him from afar the first couple of weeks, doing nothing yet still watching and wondering what that stare wanted to tell us. Then one Sunday David remembered those eyes; a student from his class many years before. Looking more closely I remembered him also; elated to see him all grown up.
David approached this six foot young man and inquired, “Do you remember me? You used to attend my Sunday school class as a 2nd grader.” Bridging the years through small talk, this young lad recollected and said, “I do remember your class.” He paused, then wrapped his arms around David’s heart with these words, “I wish I was still in your class.”
Talk about tugging a man’s emotions. David being the sensitive one held back tears as this “little boy in a grown up body” just handed him a bushel of appreciation. Someone’s son honored a teacher for being a Difference Maker. Years beyond the planting, David’s fields reaped a fall harvest.
What you do matters. Whatever you do, regardless if you think goes unnoticed, God always sees. Matthew 10:42 NKJV reminds us, “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” That’s right, even giving a cup of cold water will reap a harvest, as in your giving, you have done it unto the Lord.
DO IT!
I DARE YOU!
BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER!
YOU WON’T REGRET IT!
THE DIFFERENCE PASSES ON
By Lori A Alicea
You sow your life with many seeds,
You sow in other’s field.
Yet unaware the difference made,
The harvest that you yield.
For every fruit grown from your seed,
Within, the seeds are much.
The Difference sown repeats itself,
And passes on its touch.
