Each Baptist magazine edition, in this column, a member of Mission Council reflects on one of the themes surrounding Prayer and Self Denial 2019. This month, Rāwiri Auty reflects on “We’re making a difference.”
We all like to think we’re making a difference, don’t we? We invest our time, effort and resources into things that we care about, and we grasp onto a deep desire to see something good come of it all. Sometimes we’re delighted by what we see, but other times we wonder if the effort was really worth it.
Recently, I completed a Master’s thesis. It’s been the single hardest piece of work I’ve ever done. There were times when I wondered if it was even possible for me to achieve. More than once I spent weeks working on something that never made the final cut. Other times I found myself delighted by a piece of work, only then to discover something that challenged it so profoundly that significant changes were needed. Praise the Lord that I got it done in the end, but one question still bugs me, “Will it make any difference?”
When we’re looking for significance in the things we invest ourselves into, it’s important that we don’t become short-sighted. We need to remember that we don’t get to see all of the results of our work in a single moment in time. It’s also important to recognise that there are ups and downs on any road that takes us forward, and that we can say, like Samuel, “thus far the Lord has helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12). With that in mind, we can have confidence that he will lead us on.
With NZBMS, what we’re investing into is something much bigger than ourselves. The outcomes we see today are due to the significant contributions made yesterday. The investments we make today will determine the difference we can make tomorrow.
Yes, we’re making a difference. Let’s keep it up!
Click here to find out more about Prayer and Self Denial 2019
Scripture: Unless otherwise specified, Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright ©1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
