Making a Difference in Life

Dali's "Discovery of America by Columbus"

Christopher Columbus figured that if the world is round, you can reach the east by sailing west. No one he knew would finance a voyage. But eventually the rulers of Spain were convinced. The rest is history. Columbus symbolizes perseverance. He never gave up on his dream. Neither should we.

The word of God carries us back to the 8th century before Jesus. Isaiah tells an allegory, a lover's lament, about a vineyard. In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus tells a similar parable. The point is: Jesus invites into the kingdom of God those who produce good fruit, those who live a God-centered life.

Paul challenges us not to be anxious about our lives but to make our needs known to God in prayer. Jesus invites us to commit to him our "burdens," our fears and anxieties. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are...burdened, and I will give you rest.” In other words, keep company with Jesus and we'll be at peace with ourselves.

Failure can be a burden. Remember the apostle Peter. He denied knowing Jesus. Peter realized that he had failed, as most of us do from time to time. But later, Jesus met with Peter and reinstated him, lifted that burden. With Jesus, failure is never final.

Injustice done to us can be a burden. Jesus endured a “rigged trial.” Jesus, the innocent, was condemned. Barabbas, the sinful, was freed. The symbolism is clear.  Jesus, the innocent, died so we, the sinful, could be set free from death and have a relationship with God forever.

Guilt can be a burden. God has given us each a moral sense: a conscience. However, our conscience is not perfect because we are "fallen creatures.". Sometimes we feel guilty about things that are not our fault. At other times, we don’t feel guilty about things we should feel guilty about: so we need the Spirit of God to awaken our conscience.

Yes, Jesus takes on our burdens and gives us not only rest, but purpose and meaning. Some people seem to have no purpose or goal in life. Others climb the ladder of “success” only to find that it's leaning against the wrong wall. Having more to live with is no substitute for having more to live for. You've heard the saying: “You make a living by what you get but you make a life by what you give.”

It has been said that the two greatest days of our life are the day we were born and the day we find out why. The prophet Micah reminds us that our God is a God of unconditional love and unconditional forgiveness. And our response? “Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8) This is our purpose.

There’s an African proverb: “If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't spent the night with a mosquito.” The mosquito makes a difference in an annoying way, but the principle stands.  One person can stop an injustice, can be a voice for truth. One person's kindness can save a life. And each life matters. The key rests in community: working together and striving to be instruments of peace.