Are You Making A Difference by Jolene Eller

Last night in church, we watched a video showing the poverty, the hurting, the lost, etc in this world. Those that live in the United States could make such a difference in this world if we would just step up and do something!! I think many times we are so overwhelmed with all that is going on in the world, we don't know where to start so we don't do anything. So as I watched this video?I saw the thousands of children each day that die of starvation, families that have lost their parents due to AIDS, families living in basically nothing and learning that in Africa, they will never get out of debt. Due to Africa's debt, 40% of what a family earns goes to taxes to pay off their countries debt. Due to this, the family can never get out of debt themselves.

As I sit in my house and look around, there is so much I have that even I take for granted!!! Plenty of food, 2 beds, furniture, electricity, running water, etc. The big question: What type of difference am I going to make in this world this year? What type of difference are you going to make in this world this year? It's so easy to write a check and send it off to ease our conscience but it truly isn't the answer. As they said, Jesus is in these people. They may not know Him personally, but He lives in each of them. If we don't love them and show Him His love, what are we really doing? We aren't really being the representation that we should be to them.

Jesus illustrates it mightily in Matthew 25: 31-46. I want to hit on some main verses here: 35-36, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." Vs: 40 "the King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you DID for one of the LEAST of these brothers of mine, YOU DID FOR ME." It goes on in vs 42 where they turned the people away. Vs 45: "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did NOT do for one of the least of these you did NOT do for me!"

You never know when God is sending "Jesus" your way. We always need to be aware!! As Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 13-16; " You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. YOU are the light of the WORLD. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven."

We are the light in this dark world and if we aren't illuminating Christ, how will others know? I pray in this new year, you would examine your life. Are you a beacon of light for God in all you do?your words, your deeds, your actions, your reactions, etc.? I know I'm not always but am striving to be. Pray as to how you can make a difference this year for the Lord in your life. There is so much going on in the world today?so much darkness. Is God calling you to go to another country to be a light there or in your own city? Maybe it's just to go and feed the homeless, to spend time with them to just develop a friendship. When you go to the store, maybe it's holding the door for that elderly person or helping them put the groceries in their car. There are opportunities every day where we can shine the light of God!

I pray this year, you will be that LIGHT in the DARKNESS and make a difference!! Do people see Jesus when they look at you???? I pray they will!!!

These words by Todd Agnew have so spoken to me. May they speak to you as well. The song is entitled My Jesus.
Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Then why do you look so much like the world?
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand
Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and Sherlock Holmess and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?
Who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feet
Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?
Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud
I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!
Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus
You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means to be like You Jesus
Cause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like my Jesus
I pray we are more and more like Jesus every day!!! I want to be like my Jesus. How about you?