Deacon Deneen Y. Collins

Psalm 72:18 (NIV)

Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.

Choose to Make a Difference? 

Does one person make a difference? Let me ask you, “did Christ?” God so loved the world that He did something! He didn’t select a committee. He didn’t theorize how great it would be for someone to come to our rescue. He didn’t grieve over our waywardness with sorrow, nor did He wring His hands and write us off. He gave His one and only Son (John 3:16 NIV).

When it came time for God to send His Son to earth, He did not send Him to the palace of some mighty king. He was conceived in the womb of an unwed mother—a virgin! —who lived in the lowly village of Nazareth.

In choosing those who would represent Christ and establish His church, God picked some of the most unusual and unimaginable individuals: an unschooled, a tax collector, a doubter, fishermen, and a former Pharisee who had persecuted Jews. God has continued to pick some very unusual persons down through the ages. In fact, God seems to delight in such surprising choices even today. God truly had a great sense of humor when He chose me. It certainly surprised me.

We have been chosen to make a difference in our world, as we seek to emulate our Savior, Jesus Christ, whose life made an epic difference. Jesus Christ who died and rose again, that we might live and make a difference.

Therefore, to the chosen person—the one who answered the same as the prophet Isaiah, “Here I am, I will go,” (Isaiah 6:8 NIV), the question is no longer, “who will go?” The questions are “what are you doing now that you have been chosen?” and “are you living to make a difference?”

Prayer 

Lord remind us that, YES, one person can make a difference; and that every day we have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those we come in contact with. Father, continue to shower Your presence upon us and use us to touch others, so as to reveal that they are chosen to make a difference as well.

Thought for the day 

Are you being fruitful with the gifts that God has given you? Are you making a difference?