Making Impact

How often do we look around to see how many people around us could do with a little help? How often do we notice another’s pain? We are often masters of pretense, shielding ourselves from rejection, disappointment, ridicule or betrayal; so we isolate ourselves in our big homes, bury our faces in screens and put up invisible walls around us with unfriendly countenance. All the while missing the opportunity of starting a conversation with someone who can help either with advice or material resources; or being infected with a smile that can completely change how we feel. Some people are miserable today because they lack a downward relationship, someone they can help so they can receive the joy that comes with lifting another’s burden. It could hold the key to a long time depression or ulcer or just the flicker of hope that comes with the mere realization that helping someone in need means God/posterity (whichever you believe in) will smile back at you, to ease your own burden, someday when you’ll need it the most. Seeds beget harvests.

Ever seen those videos on the internet where homeless men who were beneficiaries of other peoples’ kindness are more eager to share whatever little they have with others? When you have gone through a rocky road in life, you learn all by yourself what matters the most. You understand and appreciate what life really means, and if given a second chance, you’ll give away more than you would ordinarily give because you know that your impact in other people’s lives actually make you richer. Yes, it makes you more prosperous; I’m not talking money-rich!

Most people (except terrorists) will agree that what the world needs is love. Yes, Christians say it as well as non-Christians.

Love is expressed by actions. Actions have impacts. Love-driven Impacts stay with people and change them; causing ripple effects on other people.  It’s an old story but we forget it too quickly/very often. Many times our excuses are laughable. We never have enough, it’s never the right time, and we are always busy. Excuses are made and they abound. But your impact might cost as little as your meal to the roadside beggar; or your transport fare to the pregnant woman who has to walk a long distance to get to the hospital. It could mean delaying your child’s school fees (enduring what you think is shame) until your next salary so your neighbor’s child can eat or go to hospital. The truth is that you make the greatest impact when it costs you something. But in the grand scheme of things, if you were to see the big picture, you would gladly give that little seed ten times over. For that child’s school fees you delayed might be rewarded with his University scholarship; that transport fare you gave to save the pregnant woman might bring your own car and put an end to your struggles with public transport; that compulsory fasting you did when the beggar got your breakfast might initiate the healing process to a long standing health issue. But even if these don’t happen, you would have triggered something in someone’s life that will make him want to show kindness to two more people who are more likely to spread the fire of love around the world. The peace you seek in your nation and for your children might be spearheaded by someone whose life was saved by a kind stranger who another kind stranger (you) helped twenty years ago and who remembered!

Let us consciously and more often remember to impact lives positively. Let us live as though every good deed will be repaid directly without really expecting it to be repaid. Because at the end they are repaid; but just not how we expect it. The payments come in grander forms!

Our world needs large doses of love. Overdose if I may say. Because we have allowed evil to prosper for so long and there is much we need to do for love to gain the upper hand again. Our little acts of kindness are all we need to impact lives and fill hearts with love and life!