Making a Difference through our Beliefs

The men and women who have moved the world have been the men and women the world could not move.

Many years ago a man was commissioned by the king of Denmark to lead a band of soldiers against pirates who were reeking havoc with shipping along a certain coastal area. The man set up his headquarters on a lonely, rocky, desolate island just off the coast, and after a few years he was able to clear the pirates out of the area.

Upon returning to the mainland, he reported to the king. The king was very pleased and offered him anything he wanted. All he wanted, he told the king, was a plot of land on the island where he had just lived and fought for so many months. They told him the island was barren. Why would he want to live there? "I want to plant trees," was his reply. "I want to make the island beautiful." The king's aides thought he was crazy. The island was constantly swept by storms and high winds. He would never be able to get a tree to grow there.

However, he insisted, and the king granted him his wish. He went to live on the island, built a home, and finally was able to bring his wife to it. For years, he and his wife worked industriously, persistently, planting trees, shrubs, and grass. Gradually, the vegetation took hold and the island began to flourish. One morning they arose to hear birds singing. There had never been any birds on the island before.

Eventually, the island became a showplace and now is visited by thousands of tourists each year. When he died, he requested that the following words be inscribed on his tombstone: "Make you the world a bit more beautiful and better because you have been on it."

As Christians, God’s desire for us is that we would make a difference each day. But in order to make a difference, we must be different. In the beginning verses of Jude, we are instructed to build up our faith because there are others who are trying to tear it down. Although unpopular, it is vital that as Christians we stand firm on our faith. It has been said, “The men and women who have moved the world have been the men and women the world could not move.”

Source: DITW, February 11, 2009