Making a Difference

"I know we're all pretty small in the big scheme of things, and I suppose the most you can hope for is to make some kind of difference, but what kind of difference have I made? What in the world is better because of me?" — Warren Schmidt, "About Schmidt"

On Sunday we heard from Wess Stafford. Wess has been a part of the team at Compassion International since 1977, and has been President since 1993. He is preparing to step away, but before he goes he offered the message at First Pres.

We have been looking at the idea of Justice and Mercy as part of the run up to Easter. These are important parts of our faith, but probably things we don't talk about much. Still, I was struck as Wess noted that our congregation has adopted more than 1,000 children through Compassion International. As he put it, enough to fill our sanctuary.

A lot of the time I think it's easy to look at the problems in the world and feel overwhelmed. When Jim Martin spoke about human trafficking, there was a tendency to feel depressed when thinking about how many are still afflicted by this. The same could be said of poverty.

Though Wess Stafford noted that, thanks in large part to the activism of communities of faith, half of extreme poverty has been eradicated. Every day more than 400 kids come to know the Lord thanks to the work of Compassion International and the many partners around the globe who do what they can to help those in need.

It reminded me of the ending of "About Schmidt," which is one of the most beautiful sequences on any movie ever. In it Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) feels low. He feels as if his life hasn't mattered or made a difference. That quote which I began with kicks off the end sequence. Then he opens a letter from the impoverished child half way around the world who he has adopted. It brings a tear to his eye as he sees that something small he has done has made a big impact in the world.

Such is true of us. We can't solve all the world's problems on our own, but we know the One who can. Part of this Justice series has been about embracing the idea that God lets us, in some small way, be a part of His justice being done on Earth.

Schmidt found fulfillment and purpose in his life through the life of a young boy he touched on the other side of the world. That is how we share the love of the Lord. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work hard at our jobs here on Earth, it means that masters we serve here aren’t the ones we need to be working for to find joy and fulfillment.

So the question isn't whether we will solve all the world's problems — that's not our job. The question is how will we make sure that the concerns of our heart are the same as the concerns of God's heart and then, how will we put that into practice each day.