Difference-Maker
The generous man is a source of blessing and shall be prosperous and enriched, and he who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25
Let me ask, “At this point in your life, where do you feel led to add value?”
What’s notable about this question is that you get to choose. You get to decide the difference you’re being nudged to make and why it matters.
I firmly believe that life always presents us with opportunities to expand, grow, connect, and add value if we’re willing and open to seeing, embracing, and not walking past them. Three things come to mind when I think of adding value and being a difference-maker.
The first is: Step out to find out. After college, I moved to Minneapolis and quickly learned how big the new community was. I had to put energy into making it a “small town,” so I would like it.
This desire led me back to my hometown community of Stanley, ND, and the image of what had been consistently modeled: Get involved. Be helpful. Be genuine in style.
Taking that foundation, I chose to step out to find out. I knew making Minneapolis a “small town” would not happen if I wished it would. I couldn’t just sit in my apartment and think I would meet people. So, I stepped out and got involved. I got involved in a whole smattering of opportunities. And as I put myself out there, I realized point number two.
Our insecurities will block us if we let them. Why? Because when we step out to find out, we’re stepping out of our comfort zone. Often in trembling ways. We’re doing something new and with new people. We may be rejected. We may not know what we’re up to or all the layers of our “yes.” Yet, I learned that when I didn’t let my insecurities have a voice or block me, I embraced the freshness of living alongside new faces. While doing so, I met some incredible people and experienced my new community on various remarkable levels.
This leads me to my third lesson. Only some opportunities were for me; many were for others. I could be a dot connector for someone else by placing myself in opportunities to grow. By being genuine in my style and interested through listening, I learned how to connect people with opportunities meaningfully.
As I think about the impact of this lifestyle, I wholeheartedly believe that getting involved expands our lives. Every season of life offers something different, and when layered, it multiplies and grows in more depth than width. This is what our key verse in Proverbs 11:25 describes; it tells us that whoever refreshes others will be refreshed — that when we choose to add value to others selflessly, we will find value in return. It reminds us to be the type of person who consistently and intentionally adds value to the lives of those around us, no matter where we go or what we do.
With great intentionality and courage, I’ve successfully made a “big city” into a “small town.” I let the significance of my rural roots fashion my attitude and carry my approach and style, bringing my small-town attitude to a big city. This is true for all of us; when we get involved, our influence expands, and our lives are profoundly multiplied and deepened.
Lord, I know my life comprises what I am alive to. Please open the eyes of my heart to grasp those around me and move toward what’s assigned to my life lane. Open my heart to become a channel that consistently adds value to those you’ve placed in my life.
Photo by Averee Kreutzfeldt at Bar 33 Ranch, Blaisdell, North Dakota