Be the Difference Maker

The Sunday school teacher had just finished the lesson. She had taught the portion of the Bible that told of how Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

Jeremy raised his hand. “My mommy looked back once when she was driving, and she turned into a telephone pole!”

Last week I reminded you to make the most out of life by loving God, others, and letting others know about the good news of Jesus.

This week I want to encourage you to not only make the most of your life, but to be the difference maker in other peoples’ lives.

If you think about it, all of us are here today because of someone else’s efforts. Yes, you woke up, put on clothes, and decided to come to church today. But you had a church to come to because other people wanted to make a difference in this world. No one person built this building. It was a group effort.

In your life, you are who you are because you’ve been influenced by others. For good or for bad.

You and I have a choice each day whether or not we are going to make a difference in the lives of other people. It really is a choice.

This is what I want you to hear: God wants you to be the difference maker for someone today.

Here’s two verses I want you to chew on today.

1 Peter 3:8–9 (CEV)

8 Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble.

9 Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you…

Let’s just do a quick check on how well we are living these instructions…

Have concern for someone - Who did I call this week?

Love for each other - Who did I express love for this week?

Be Kind - What did I do to show mercy this week?

Be Humble - How did I put my own needs on the back burner this week?

Don’t be Hateful - Did I get angry with someone this week?

Don’t insult people - Did I gossip this week?

God’s Chosen one - Did I walk according to His spirit in Power and Strength?

If we answer these questions honestly then I would suspect that there’s room for improvement in each of our lives. And that’s the point, each one of us can be the difference maker in the lives of others if we live out the instructions of scripture.

In my social media feed this week I came across an unbelievable story about Henry Ford and Thomas Edison that I had to fact check, and it was TRUE! I want to share it with you today:

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In 1896, Thomas Edison, the great inventor of the electric bulb, was working on a car design when he learned that a young man in his company had created an experimental car. Edison met this young man, Henry Ford, at a company party in New York and was thoroughly impressed by his gasoline-powered car idea. Edison, who had been considering electricity as a power source, enthusiastically encouraged Ford, saying, "Young man, that's the thing!

You have it! I think you are on to something! I encourage you to continue your pursuits!"

Encouraged by the respected inventor, Henry Ford continued his work, eventually inventing a car that made him wealthy.

On December 9, 1914, Edison's laboratory and factory were destroyed by fire. At 67 years old, the damage was too extensive for insurance to cover. Before the ashes were cold, Henry Ford handed Edison a check for $750,000 with a note saying Edison could have more if needed.

In 1916, Ford relocated his home next to Edison's. When Edison was later confined to a wheelchair, Ford also got a wheelchair so they could race each other.

Thomas Edison made Henry Ford believe in himself, creating a friendship for life.

LESSON:

Don't ever be jealous of others' success. If you can't win a race, help the person in front of you break the record. Your candle doesn't lose its light by lighting another. Let us follow this example of supporting and uplifting each other!

I know there are a lot of strong feelings about Ford vehicles verse others, but the truth be told, without Henry Ford we might not have the type of cars that we have today. He was a pioneer. And without Thomas Edison encouraging Ford to keep working then Ford might not have lived up to his full potential.

I’m going to say something that goes against our modern day culture, but aligns with the Word of God.

WE AREN’T in a competition. We are in a family. And in this family we all have responsibilities. We should work very hard to help others make the most of their lives. We should be the difference makers in other peoples lives.

How can we do this? Serving People is key. There are many ways to serve, but in 1 Peter 3 I believe we can find three ways to be a difference maker.

First, we need to understand that we are:

Partners in Restoration

Back to verses 8-9

1 Peter 3:8–9 CEV

8 Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. 9 Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you. The Scriptures say,

We have been grafted into the family of God, but not just to stand on the sidelines. No, we are to allow our concern and love for each other to motivate us into action.

We are God’s chosen ones! What does that mean?

Colossians 3:12–17 CEV

12 God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. 13 Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. 14 Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together. 15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. 16 Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.

God has chosen us to represent Him in this world. We are partnered with Christ in the work of reconciliation. That means that we need to do whatever we can to bring peace, forgiveness, joy, mercy, and grace to those around us.

Here’s a simple test you can do to find out if you’re partnered with Christ in any given situation. Ask yourself this question: If God’s will is for reconciliation and restoration, what am I doing to restore and bring harmony to this person?

It’s easy to walk away when a person has offended us, but God’s will is for everyone to be restored. Are we partnered with Christ?

How do we bring restoration? How do we partner with Jesus? How do we lift others up?

We…

Tell The Story

1 Peter 3:15 CEV

15 Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.

We partner with Christ in the work of reconciliation when we are willing to TELL what He’s done in US!

This has always been how people have made the biggest difference in the world: by giving their first hand account of what the Lord has done in their life.

Love motivates us to share our story to people in need.

If you were on a deserted island with another person and you found an endless supply of food and water. Would you share that information or would you keep it tow yourself?

Remember the woman at the well who was talking to Jesus?

John 4:13–15 CEV

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again. 14 But no one who drinks the water I give will ever be thirsty again. The water I give is like a flowing fountain that gives eternal life.” 15 The woman replied, “Sir, please give me a drink of that water! Then I won’t get thirsty and have to come to this well again.”

You see, Jesus brings ETERNAL life. People are doomed for eternal separation from God, and we have the answer that will given them eternal life.

But, sometimes, fear stops us. Or we feel under qualified. Or we think the person won’t want to know.

Our job, as partners with Christ, and as difference makers is not to convict people. Our job is to TELL OUR STORY.

The Apostle Paul was given an opportunity to tell his story to King Agrippa in Acts 26. He told the King about how he used to live before Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. He told him about how he persecuted believers even to the point of voting for their deaths! He told the King that one day Jesus appeared to him as a light brighter than the sun. Then and there he said that he knew Jesus was the Lord and he would forever serve Him by proclaiming the truth even though that meant he was in prison or even if it meant he would lose his life.

This is the response of the King:

Acts 26:28 CEV

28 Agrippa asked Paul, “In such a short time do you think you can talk me into being a Christian?”

Rejected! Paul just told his story and he was rejected! You see, we are afraid of rejection because maybe we think of it as a Win vs. Losing situation. When really it more about allowing the Spirit of God to speak through our story.

I like how Paul responded because it revealed his heart of love:

Acts 26:29 CEV

29 Paul answered, “Whether it takes a short time or a long time, I wish you and everyone else who hears me today would become just like me! Except, of course, for these chains.”

You see, that must be our motivation, that others will be able to find the good thing we’ve found. There’s enough to share.

Being the Difference Maker means that we are partners with Christ, we tell our story, and we…

Focus on Need

One of my favorite leadership guru is John Maxwell, you probably know that by now. He says something that I think Christianity misses when it comes to being a difference maker. It speaks to the motivation behind partnering with Christ and telling our story.

“People don't care how much you know unless they know how much you care”

-John C. Maxwell

Being a difference maker is about showing the Love of Christ in a REAL way. Doing good things because we’ve recieved the BEST thing.

What would it look like to do what Peter is saying? He says in verse 8 to have concern and love for others. Then in verse 15 he tells us to honor Christ by allowing Him to be the Lord of our life.

Christ gave everything for us. He held nothing back. Even to the point of giving His life.

If we are going to be the difference makers we are called to be, doesn’t it make sense that we are going to have to DO something for others who are in need?

Peter addresses this in the same chapter:

1 Peter 3:13–14 CEV

13 Can anyone really harm you for being eager to do good deeds? 14 Even if you have to suffer for doing good things, God will bless you. So stop being afraid and don’t worry about what people might do.

Following Christ is what is good. Being surrendered to Jesus is doing what He did for those He loved. People matter to God. Loving people should matter to us. Doing good things for those in need should be a priority in our lives.

Sometimes doing good things for people will reach them because they realize that you actually do care. If you can meet a physical need then maybe they will allow you to show them how to meet their spiritual need.

God wants you to be the difference maker for someone today.

Who is going leading you to this week? Your life has purpose. God has a plan. The question is whether or not you’ll respond.

We are partners with Christ to tell our story and to meet the needs of others. Let’s do our part today!