INTRODUCTION:
How many remember your time in grade school? What kind of impact did those days
have on your life? I clearly remember one day while I was sitting in class in the sixth
grade. I was not paying attention (I am ADHD), I was looking out the window instead of
at the teacher. I was dreaming about the future, wondering what kind of person I would
be, what I was going to do with my life. My teacher, Mrs. Webb, called my name out and
added, “I want to see you after class.” My heart beat faster, my face flushed, and all the
other kids in class looked at me with big smiles.
After class I walked slowly toward Mrs.Webb’s desk and stood there looking at my
teacher, wondering what kind of trouble I was going to be in. She looked up at me and
said, “I notice you day dreaming during class time.” I said, “yes, ma’am.” She then said
something that to this day still surprises me, “Greg, don’t let anyone steal your dreams.” I
walked home by myself thinking about what she had placed in my life, encouragement to
dream; encouragement to think far into the future. I can’t explain the impact this had on
my life at at early age. She added value to me. She showed me I was valuable, and my
dreams were valuable enough to contemplate and guard. This was one of the times I still
remember someone demonstrating significance.
What does significance mean to you?
On Jackie Robinson’s gravestone is one of his most famous quotes,
“A life isn’t important except for its impact on others’ lives”
John Maxwell writes in the his book, The Power of Significance,
“To be significant, all you have to do is make a difference with others wherever you are,
with whatever you have, day by day” .
Here is the question: What or who did I make better today?
Significance is not about you. It is about other people—improving or adding value to their
lives. It is about improving your church or business.
When Nancy and I began ministry, pastoring our first church, one of the goals we set was
to leave a church better than when we came. I was taught that when setting goals, one
qualification is for goals to be realistic. Setting a goal to leave a place better than one
found it is a realistic goal, especially if the church or business is on a downhill spiral and
some people believe it should be shut down. However, leaving some places better than
you found them may not be so realistic or easy. In fact, it may seem frightening. Yet any
goal we set in life that does not challenge us will not inspire us to move forward.
Reflection
Which of your goals are challenging you today?
Which goals are on the back burner because they do not inspire you?
What are different ways you can make a positive difference in the lives of others today?
What kind of difference do you want to make?
Nelson Mandela, speaking at a ninetieth birthday celebration, said, “What counts in life is
not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made in the lives of
others that will determine the significance of the life we lead” (2010).
To make an impact on the lives of others, we must be willing to overcome roadblocks we
face in our journey to significance.
Isaiah 57:14 (ESV), “And it shall be said, ‘Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove
every obstruction from my people’s way’”
Significance is a day-to-day expedition, not a destination.
How many remember your time in grade school? What kind of impact did those days
have on your life? I clearly remember one day while I was sitting in class in the sixth
grade. I was not paying attention (I am ADHD), I was looking out the window instead of
at the teacher. I was dreaming about the future, wondering what kind of person I would
be, what I was going to do with my life. My teacher, Mrs. Webb, called my name out and
added, “I want to see you after class.” My heart beat faster, my face flushed, and all the
other kids in class looked at me with big smiles.
After class I walked slowly toward Mrs.Webb’s desk and stood there looking at my
teacher, wondering what kind of trouble I was going to be in. She looked up at me and
said, “I notice you day dreaming during class time.” I said, “yes, ma’am.” She then said
something that to this day still surprises me, “Greg, don’t let anyone steal your dreams.” I
walked home by myself thinking about what she had placed in my life, encouragement to
dream; encouragement to think far into the future. I can’t explain the impact this had on
my life at at early age. She added value to me. She showed me I was valuable, and my
dreams were valuable enough to contemplate and guard. This was one of the times I still
remember someone demonstrating significance.
What does significance mean to you?
On Jackie Robinson’s gravestone is one of his most famous quotes,
“A life isn’t important except for its impact on others’ lives”
John Maxwell writes in the his book, The Power of Significance,
“To be significant, all you have to do is make a difference with others wherever you are,
with whatever you have, day by day” .
Here is the question: What or who did I make better today?
Significance is not about you. It is about other people—improving or adding value to their
lives. It is about improving your church or business.
When Nancy and I began ministry, pastoring our first church, one of the goals we set was
to leave a church better than when we came. I was taught that when setting goals, one
qualification is for goals to be realistic. Setting a goal to leave a place better than one
found it is a realistic goal, especially if the church or business is on a downhill spiral and
some people believe it should be shut down. However, leaving some places better than
you found them may not be so realistic or easy. In fact, it may seem frightening. Yet any
goal we set in life that does not challenge us will not inspire us to move forward.
Reflection
Which of your goals are challenging you today?
Which goals are on the back burner because they do not inspire you?
What are different ways you can make a positive difference in the lives of others today?
What kind of difference do you want to make?
Nelson Mandela, speaking at a ninetieth birthday celebration, said, “What counts in life is
not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made in the lives of
others that will determine the significance of the life we lead” (2010).
To make an impact on the lives of others, we must be willing to overcome roadblocks we
face in our journey to significance.
Isaiah 57:14 (ESV), “And it shall be said, ‘Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove
every obstruction from my people’s way’”
Significance is a day-to-day expedition, not a destination.