making a difference

She invited us to her house to light candles, sit on bean bag chairs and read poetry.

Sound lame? Maybe to you, but not to me. Mrs. Fields single-handedly changed my life. She was more than my 10^th grade English teacher—she was the person who inspired me to write.

Inviting the whole class to her house for a poetry reading is what I call going beyond the call of duty. She wasn’t content to just impact her students at school—she went out of her way to inspire us any way she could, even if it intruded on her personal life.

But that’s what she was like: An encourager with a capital “E.”

I saw her many years later, well into my 30s. I can still remember how she beamed when I introduced myself and told her what an inspiration she had been.

Why do I share this story?

First of all, to encourage you to take the time to contact and thank those who have made a difference in your life. In these days of Google and Facebook tracking people down is easier than it’s ever been.

Call, email, write a note or become a Facebook friend. Do whatever it takes, but let the person know how much you appreciate what he or she did for you.

Trust me, you’ll make somebody’s day. And how cool is that?

Second, could you make a difference in someone’s life? A child? Family member? Friend? Co-worker? Is there someone you could encourage and inspire with a little bit of effort?

While some of you may find it challenging, I’m betting some of you are natural encouragers. In fact, the Bible tells us about a man who was given the nickname of Barnabas. The name means “Son of Encouragement.” The strong implication, of course, is that Barnabas was a natural encourager.1

That speculation is confirmed later when the church at Jerusalem needs an encourager. And who’s their go-to guy? Barnabas, of course.

They “sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”2

So how about it? Are you a closet Barnabas? Are you a natural encourager like he was? If so, someone needs you, probably more than you can imagine.

I know you’re out there, so what are you waiting for? Make a difference in somebody’s life. Encourage them and inspire them.

Who knows? You could be the next Mrs. Fields!

Note: Candles, bean bag chairs and poetry are optional.

1  Acts 4:36-37

2  Acts 11:22-24