One at a time

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2009

I've always told people I want to change the world. I guess I never understood what that exactly meant when I said it. Sure I've had dreams, aspirations, goals, but I never would call myself a visionary. When I say I want to change the world, I mean it, but I'm still trying to figure out what that looks like. Jesus changed his world and he wasn't even in it that long. Jesus caused waves in his world. I want my life to cause waves, to cause a reaction, to stir people to question the life they currently lead.
But is that what I mean when I say I want to change to the world? Perhaps. But sometimes my blood boils and stirs and I wish that I could snap my fingers and change things just like that. Change things because they're not supposed to be that way...they just aren't!

When a nanny calls in sick to work today saying she can't come in. The woman answering the phone feels in her gut that something wasn't right and goes over to the house to find this woman lying in a pool of blood beaten almost to death by her husband.

When a woman gets up every morning and willingly walks to work...a bar down the street where she tries to make enough money to feed her kids by selling herself.

When an eight year old child is forced by her mother to sell flowers on the street to make enough money for her family knowing full well that in a couple of years her "cuteness" will run out and she'll be selling other things by then.

When the woman with a well established food stand at the corner, hardened to life by her husband cheating and leaving her, cries as she talks about her daughter, not knowing what will become of both of them when her house sells.

I wonder at the choices these women have made, but what if they didn't know there were other choices to choose from? I wonder at the life that was given to them, at the life they have carved out for themselves or that others have carved for them. God can redeem, heal, and restore anything, I believe that to the core of being because it's what he did for me. It's what he continues to do for me. I can't hear these stories and NOT believe that the Lord couldn't do the same for them.

I don't know if I'll change the world...if the Lord chooses to use me in such a crazy way...I'd be honored. Perhaps I've done things, impacted people, that will in time do just that. But I'm content right now with it being one. To see the Lord bring love, a chance for education, renewed hope, and provision to ONE eight year old or ONE twenty five year old woman.

One at a time...it's how the waves start.

-Sarah Schepens