A poet named Loren Eiseley wrote a beautiful story that I’d like to share with you.
Once upon a time, there was a man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had the habit of walking along the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore; as he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day, so he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing; but instead, he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?” The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing Starfish into the ocean.” “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing Starfish into the ocean?” “The sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.” “But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and Starfish all along it, you can’t possibly make a difference!” The young man listened politely, then bent down, picked up another Starfish, and threw it into the sea past the breaking waves. “It made a difference for that one.”
This week we are looking at the starfishes in our lives – the people for whom we can make a difference. How can we make a difference? We can start by being an example. There is an old saying, “what you do speaks so much louder than what you say.” Whether we like it or not, as Christians, we serve as walking billboards for Jesus. People listen to what we say, watch what we do, and make judgments about the Gospel based on what they see in us.
You may be familiar with the story about the policeman who pulled a woman over after observing her making some rude gestures to another driver. The policeman demanded that she get out of the car. Lean against the trunk, and keep her hands in sight at all times.
“But officer,” she protested, “what did I do?” “I suspect you are driving a stolen car,” the policeman replied. “But this is my car”, she insisted, “What makes you think it is stolen.” “Well,” the officer explained, “I saw the ‘I love Jesus’ bumper sticker, and the ‘John 3:16’ window decal; then I saw your rude reaction to that other driver. Either the car is stolen or somebody’s been decorating it when you weren’t looking.”
Contrast the lady in the “stolen” car with the lady we saw on TV who uses her meager social security check to feed the homeless in her neighborhood. Which one represents the type of example Jesus would like to see us put forward?
In the 5th chapter of Matthew, verse 16, we read, “let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Being kind and loving to others is a start, but our responsibility goes beyond just living a Christian life. Jesus commands us, “go into the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)
Going back to the story of the starfish, imagine that, instead of a beach covered with threatened starfish, you see your neighborhood full of people facing a spiritual crisis. The Bible tells us, “people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Like the star thrower, we can make a difference by sharing the Good News.
We all are struggling on this beach we call life, and we are privileged to have the opportunity to offer hope to others. We can invite them to go to church with us, or we can welcome them into a small group or bible study. We can pass along a “Daily Word” magazine, or – if we are moved by the Holy Spirit – we might even share our personal testimony. We can’t save them; but we can make a difference by pointing them toward the One who can save them – Jesus – the original Star Thrower.
Verse for the Week: Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”
Blessings, Your friends in Christ
Because He Loves Us Press 