The ripple effect

So you think what you do or say makes no difference in the world? If you only knew how much, you would feel both blessed and cursed, for your actions and words are like water.

They flow out toward all with whom you come in contact. What an awesome responsibility and privilege.

You, yes you, can be the cause of someone's having a good day with hopeful promise for the future, or for their becoming listless and discouraged.

Janie's relative, Karen, lived alone and had a tendency to believe others should come to her, rather than she seek out activities and friends on her own.

Consequently, Janie and other family members tried to help keep her occupied. They wanted Karen to stay as satisfied as possible because, often, she would be in a negative and hopeless mood.

Then Karen received news from Janie that a friend was coming to stay with her for a while. You would think the event would be less than a super big event to Karen, but it, in fact, spread out to all those who were around her.

Karen immediately became nicer and more positive in her outlook.

She threw herself into helping plan the agenda during her friend's visit. New life was breathed into her.

The people around Karen enjoyed her company more, and rather than avoiding her sometimes cutting remarks, they enjoyed her company. Karen did her nails -- she refused to have them manicured at a salon -- and began to figure out where her friend would sleep.

Janie probably never knew the emotion, energy, happiness and joy that her message of Karen's upcoming visitor would make in Karen's life.

Everything you do or say causes a consequence. You, indeed, can make a difference in the world. Nothing you bring forth goes unnoticed by someone or something. You can be the master craftsman of either joy or strife, sadness and discouragement or accomplishment.

Have you ever gotten up in the morning in a good mood, but someone said something negative or disheartening to you? Your pleasant mood shifted from being high to a shattering low.

While the remark from the person offering the comment affected you, the individual was, perhaps, having a bad day, or maybe he or she was joshing.

The words of the other person not only took the optimism away from you, but you possibly took out your hurt and disappointment on others around you. The hurtful words retarded and touched not only you, but possibly everyone else who incurred the misfortune of being in your space.

Choose what reactions and feelings you want to invoke in circumstances and people, then decide how you're going to accomplish your goal -- how you're going to make the world a better place -- simply by how you act, talk and listen. Just bringing someone good news, inviting them to a movie, taking a walk, going shopping or target shooting with someone can transform an otherwise grim and lifeless day. You can turn that day into one of sunshine and goodwill for someone who needs attention.

Jesus tells us how valuable we are: "The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do, in fact will do greater works than these" (John 14:12).

You don't have to be famous, wealthy, insincere, ostentatious or flamboyant to make a difference in someone's life, which, in turn, affects the whole of society.

It flows into the lives of others, and those lives touch many more. "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5: 13-14). The small, gentle ripple flows on and on, finally becoming part of the gigantic, peaceful and sometimes tumultuous ocean called life.

Regardless of how little or much you can give to others or affect positive change, you are the one who's supposed to perform the deed and, in so doing, change the world.