I heard a story many years ago that really impacted me at a conference I attended. From what I understand it has also been told to teachers who are just beginning teaching in school. Whenever I reread it or hear it, it always impacts me in a great way. It motivates me to want to make a difference in this world. Here is how it goes! I'm going to give you my "Readers Digest" version to avoid any "legal entanglements!"
There was an old man who was a writer. He would always go to the beach to try and get inspiration for books he was writing. It would always help him think and reflect about what he wanted to write. The night before one of his beach visits, there was a terrible storm. It rained all night very hard and the wind blew so hard that it blew over some of the lifeguard stands! When he approached the beach he noticed hundreds and hundreds of starfish washed up on shore as well. They were everywhere as far as he could see. Off in the distance he saw a young boy who looked like he was throwing something in the water. Curious, the old man tiptoed past all the starfish washed up on the sand to see what the boy was doing. As he got closer to the young boy, he could see he was actually throwing starfish out into the water. He would bend down, grab the starfish by one of its points and hurl it into the water as far as he could. Not fully understand what this young boy was doing and why, the old man approached him and said, "Good morning! May I ask what you are doing young man?" "I am throwing starfish in the water, sir. The tide has washed them ashore because of the storm we had last night. When the sun gets hot they will die, unless I throw them back in the water. They cannot return to the sea by themselves," the young boy responded. The old man replied, "But there must be tens of thousands of them on this beach. What difference do you really believe you are going to make doing this?" The young boy bent down and picked up a starfish, held it with both of his hands and exclaimed, "Sir, do you see this starfish?" The old man said, "Yes." The boy grabbed the starfish by it's point, threw it into the water as hard as he could then looked right into the old man's eyes and replied "It made a difference in that starfishes life. Didn't it?"
This story motivates me and encourages me. I want to be just like that young boy. I want to make a difference in peoples lives and in this crazy world we live in! I have had many opportunities throughout my lifetime as a pastor and child evangelist since my early 20's to make a difference. Lately I have tried very hard to approach my days differently. Wherever I am whether it is at work, at the library, walking in the store, walking at Sunken Meadow or at church, I continually ask God how I can make a difference in peoples lives. Yes, even that annoying Door Dash or Uber drivers I encounter while I'm at Chick Fil-A! I even ask God to show me what I can do in ministry that will make a difference in the children around the world. I pastored in a big church so for me many times the difference I wanted to make was on a grand scale. Being a a new, smaller church the difference I want to make may only be a handful of people. I'm okay with that. I pray you are all like that little boy and you all are doing something positive that is truly making a difference in this world we live in! If we all tried real hard to make a difference wherever we are, maybe just maybe this world would be a better place to live in??!!
UNTIL NEXT TIME!! TOMORROW IS HAPPY NOVEMBER!!
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