Daily Delight
"You are throwing rocks into the water. You may not see the effects now, and you may not ever, but you are making a difference.”
My therapist ended a recent session with these words, and they’ve been stuck in my head ever since. When you throw a rock into the water, it creates a ripple effect-- it starts out small but gradually gets bigger as the rock bounces steadily. I’ve always felt like I had to do this HUGE thing that changed their lives right then and there, otherwise I wouldn’t be successful. I always thought God was only in the big, grandiose moments-- those people doing BIG things were the only ones changing the world.
But that’s not true. Think about how one small act of kindness or love has impacted your life. I remember how one of my favorite teachers said one kind thing about my writing in high school, and that one kind word spurred me to become a writer. That one off-handed comment changed the course of my life!
God calls us to be right where we are, using what He has given us to make a difference. When you look at the scriptures, you see how God works through ordinary people in the mundane moments. In Hebrews 11, we’re introduced to the “Faith Hall of Fame” so to speak, AKA the people throughout the Old Testament that used their lives as a testament to God. When you look closely at their stories, you see how God used them in the simplest ways to further the kingdom. They just lived their lives and honored God in the midst of it; they loved and poured into the people right in front of them. That’s what we’re called to do, too.
We don’t have to have it all together or do big, glamorous things for the whole world to see. You throw a rock into the water right where you are. You can make a difference for one person, in one small way. You never know how much that one thing you do could change the course of a life. The smallest ways we touch people’s stories end up making the biggest difference in their lives.
You may not see it now, but if you keep throwing those rocks into the water, eventually they will ripple into something bigger than you could have ever imagined. As Mother Teresa said, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” Throw your rock into the water. You never know how far your ripple effect will reach.
{photo: @elissagram}
About the Author
Jordan Taylor
Jordan Taylor is a 22 year old student living in the suburbs of Nashville, her lifelong hometown. She is currently studying to be an English teacher, and hopes to have a classroom full of crazy, loud middle schoolers in her near future! Jordan enjoys reading, long walks (anywhere, not just the beach!), crafting, listening to music, playing with her pug, Lola, and writing. She is learning how to be brave, love adventure, and try new things (a lifetime work in progress!). Jordan loves Jesus with all that she is, and is learning to let Him love her too. She enjoys rambling and writing about her faith at her blog, http://taylorjm.blogspot.com/, and is excited to share her journey with you all on DOD!