Norm Werner posted: " Recently Pastor Jack Freed used this quote in his blog, Jack's Winning Words - Jane Goodall "What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make." (Jane Goodall) Most people probably don't thin"
"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make." (Jane Goodall)
Most people probably don't think about the difference that they make in the world because they mistakenly believe that making a difference means doing something really big or significant. In reality, one makes a difference with each interaction with another person. The key is Goodall's observation that what kind and how much of a difference you make depends upon what you do at that moment.
Very many of us tend not to notice or acknowledge other people that we pass during the day or even try overtly to avoid making eye contact or saying anything. Some may even try to avoid specific people, because they just don't want to spend the time talking to them. Maybe you know someone who is always down or complaining and you just don't feel like sharing time with them because you don't want to let them bring you down, too. This is probably the type of person for whom the term "Gloomy Gus" was invented.
If you are like that, you have made a conscious decision not to make a positive difference in the lives of the other people. I know a lady, who is a life coach, who uses the motto, "Making a positive difference in other people's lives". Most of us probably don't start each day with that motto in mind; however, if we start each day without a thought like that in mind we have defaulted to indifference and have created an indifferent world for ourselves. We do not make a difference and that is just sad.
One doesn't have to be a bubbly, cheerleader type person to at least be friendly during the day – to greet others with a smile and a friendly, "Hello" or "How Are you?" greeting. You might be surprised to find out that your friendly greeting may have caused that person to reset their mood from negative to positive. You made a positive difference in their day. You may also notice that it made your day a lot better, too. You may never know what that person whom you influenced was able to do today, but it started with you. You made a positive difference.
There will be many other times during the day to interact with others in ways that are either uplifting and positive or negative and maybe even hurtful. Have you decided what kind of difference you want make today? The choice is up to you. You may not be able to do big things that will change the world all at once, but you can change the world one person at a time by the choices that you make today.
What kind of difference do you want to make? Maybe you can say a little prayer before you start out on your day and ask God to help you make a positive difference during the day. I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't pray that God help you be a grump all day.
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