Today I was thinking about how in a few short months I will be leaving for the World Race, and I am consistently reminded of this story that I read awhile ago:
While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.
He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
The old man smiled, and said, “I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”
To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, “But, young man, do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
As I prepare to venture off into the World for almost a year, I am constantly bombarded with the question, “Will I make a difference?” By the world’s standards, no, I will not even begin to make a dent in the suffering that is throughout the World.
However, by God’s standards, if I can show just one person the love of Christ on my journey, the whole trip would be worth it. If just one person experiences the power of God as a result of my obedience, then the entire trip is worth it.
People get caught up in numbers and statistics, but really, you cannot put a price on a human soul.
You cannot put a price on a baby experiencing love for the first time.
You cannot put a price on making someone smile the smile of true joy and restoration.
You cannot put a price on God’s miracles.
So yes, the sacrifice is great, and the return may be “small” but at the end of this journey, I want to be able to say, “I made a difference to that one.”
Hey, so while your at it, you should support me on this journey! All donations are tax deductible! You may be saying “My money wouldn’t make a difference,” but it would. Just like the starfish on the shore, all the small stuff adds up to a lot! Think about it. Pray about it! I love you guys so much 🙂
