Your choice to go to bed too late last night, or lie to a friend, or anything else that changes your mood for today absolutely changes the entire world. That's right. Your mood today changes the entire world. Today, because you are grumpy, you didn't smile at the distraught young lady you passed walking down the hall, or the sidewalk. You didn't sit down and comfort her. You walked right by... Just like everyone else. Because she feels so lonely, so isolated, and so unloved, she has now fallen into sin. You had the power to pick her up, and send her in a better direction. But you didn't, because you were in a bad mood and just didn't feel like she was important enough of a soul to be worth your energy. Now her children are forever affected as a result. And her children's children. And their children. Of course this isn't all your fault. I am not saying that. What I am saying is that there is a flip side to this.
Let's say that you didn't lie to your friend, or you didn't stay out too late, but instead you went to bed on time and got up early to go on a run. Let's say that you walked out of the house after an invigorating run and a good breakfast, and you saw this young lady in the same moment you would have before, and everything is the same, except that you stop to comfort her this time. You sit for just 15 minutes and listen to her problems and comfort her and give her a little bit of hope to hold on to. Sure, you're late for your class. Big deal. Do you know what you did do? You gave that young lady that little bit of hope that she had been looking so desperately for. Praying, and pleading with the Lord to send her just someone who will listen. As a result, she followed Christ. She raised a family with a loving husband, and had children who were happy and cheerful children. Children who went out into the world and did a lot of good. In fact, not only did you change the life of this young lady and her descendants, but you also changed the lives of almost everybody else on your way. See, you were smiling as you walked out the door this morning, and even happy enough to be singing. You were singing "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from the musical "Oklahoma!" The person you never saw just around the corner from where you were walking heard your singing, and was inspired. They had a better day because of you. Not only that, but a better week, month, and life. There was the lonely old man you walked past. His wife died the month prior, and he was distraught. You smiled at him as you walked past, and greeted him briefly. Nobody had done that in a long time. He was just the old man that nobody noticed, and nobody cared for. But you did. He remembered that.
My friends, you don't have to do anything I'm saying here. It's entirely up to you.
But look at the good you have the potential to do every day.
If you have something that weighs on your soul, fix it.
If you have self-destructive habits, fix them.
If you are doing anything that makes you any less than the best you can be, stop it.
The Lord said,
"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls."Your actions are the small and simple means, and the Lord is counting on you.
One day you will look back on this life and you will see how all the pieces of life fit together.
One day you will see the wonderful things you did, and how you changed the world.
One day you will see the wonderful things you didn't do, and how you didn't change the world. That will weigh on your soul.
When you leave this life, leave it knowing that you smiled at everybody you saw, you sang down every street, you held love in your heart all the time, and you did all you can do.
Can you live knowing you've done anything less?
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