Walking in another's shoes...

I am starting to go to a Sunday School class at Heritage that is starting a series called "Outlive Your Life" by Max Lucado.  The intro today was fantastic.  I came out of that time with a couple of main takeaways. The first is that God confirmed the feeling in my heart and my personal attitude that anyone can make a difference anywhere and at anytime.  God can give any single one of us the power to impact a life and we need to be walking with Him so that we can be ready and prepared for that. 

The other is a little more day-to-day practical.  It is that we can never assume that we know what someone else is going through.  How many people know your innermost thoughts?  Your fears, personal issues, failures, stumbling blocks, etc?  So as we try to encourage others and be salt and light, we HAVE to take the view away from that from our own eyes, and rather place it from another's.  Take for example people that stand on the corner with signs asking for money or food.  I have a hard time with that personally, and refuse to give money until God convicts me about it.  I'd be happy to offer food, etc, but don't often think of these people so that I would stop and get it and be prepared!  Either way, today I was shown by God that I need to take any negative from my thinking as it pertains to this segment of people, but rather pray for them individually as I see them.  To pray for some opportunity to make a difference and a clear plan as to what that might look like.  See, how can I even pretend to know what their life might be like?  When was the last time I didn't shower for a week and wear old nasty clothes and go out in public?  When have I ever been without my car, cell phone, friends, support group, etc?  So I am in NO place to act like I know what they are living through or what steps occured to get them where they are.  But God wants them reached somehow.  I absolutely believe that.  He wants everyone reached that doesn't know his Son as their personal Lord and Savior.  He wants us that do know Jesus to be growing and walking daily with Him so that we can change the world.  NEVER lose hope that it can be done.  NEVER NEVER NEVER!!!

Impact a life this week.  Love people as Christ did in his ministry here on Earth.

Be different than this world.  It's ok.  I promise!