Changing the World

When I was younger, I dreamt of being a famous actress and using my "star power" to change the world for the better. (Riiiight, like that's going to happen.) While I do not want to be an actress or any form of celebrity anymore, I still often think about "changing the world." What does that really mean, though?

Today while I was mowing my aunt's lawn, I realized that every single person changes the world simply by being born. (Oh so profound! Haha.) But, really, the fact that God spoke me into existence and ordained all of my days changes the world and eternity. But this isn't anything new to God, because He is the One who orchestrated everything since time immemorial.

So, now the question isn't "Will I change the world?" but "How greatly can I change the world with the time I am given and how?" Do I want to be remembered as someone who lived solely for myself? Or do I want to be remembered as someone who loved Jesus without limits and, therefore, loved everyone around me in a limitless way? I am instructed in God's Word that I am to love Jesus, and love others. I believe that love can change the world.

Here's one of my absolute favorite passages of Scripture.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13
And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gonge or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. And now these three reamin: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

That passage sends tingles through my spine and fills my heart with hope! It also makes me realize just how horribe I am at loving people. How often have I held a grudge or put my needs before those of someone else who is hurting more than I am? How often have I spoken something out of self-righteousness, instead of selfless love? If I loved in the way this passage describes love, then I would undoubtedly change the world. Love like this can destroy fear, ease hurt, and conquer poverty. It changes people. It transforms them.

But I think that I can only really love someone in this way if I am being continually broken by God. I have to realize that I cannot love people like this on my own. The only way that I could ever love someone without limits is if I were acting as a conduit of Jesus' love. I am human and totally messed up, but Jesus is perfect and He wants to use me to change the world and love His beloved. It amazes me that He would want to use a wretch like me to carry out His mission and purpose. But really, that's the only reason that I am here. My purpose is not to change the world for myself so that I get a nice eulogy, epitaph, and obituary. Who cares? My purpose is to love the lost and show them the limitless love of Jesus. Love that holds no record of wrongs, puts others first, and is endlessly patient.

Oi, I am so far from perfection...but praise God for His grace!!! So, I am going to leave you something that a friend of mine prayed at a girls' small group meeting that I went to the night before I moved home from Edmonton.

"And may God never ever let anyone make these [people] believe that they cannot change the world."

-Elisa.