kennethbaucum

I have been thinking a little the last few days about how much different each person's life is, while still being basically the same.  I also blend into my thoughts the idea that everybody has their own story, and how careful we should be before we judge or accuse someone of a wrongdoing or a misstep in their decision making, since we may not know their story or how they got to that decision.

With this in mind, I'd like to reprint my story from September of last year, in the hopes that those who have just begun reading here will get the information they've missed, and that those who have already seen it will be encouraged again.

Everybody has a story.

Each person around you is writing a chapter in their story every second of every minute of every hour of every day.  Each person has a timeline that they are traveling through.  For many of the people you interact with daily, your place on the timeline is not the same as someone else's place on theirs.  Everyone is taking life at their own pace.

When you interact with someone, realize this -- your story of how you got to this very moment is not always public knowledge.  You have your own thoughts, desires and passions that shape your reactions to different experiences that you've had.  Not everyone around you has had that same set of experiences.  And you have not likely had theirs, either.

As you write down your story -- based on the decisions you make and your reaction to things around you -- bear in mind that what may be the last straw for you, on your timeline, may not even be an issue in someone else's journey.  So before you get mad, consider this -- does the person you're about to respond to understand where you are and where you're coming from?  Will they really see it the same way you do -- once you've made your response?  If the answer is not 100% yes, then there should be more thought in your answer.  Period.  I'm as guilty as anyone else.

Consider others.  Everyone has a story -- don't start writing in red on someone else's pages.

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."  -Colossians 4:6 KJV

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."  -1 Timothy 4:12

"And ye shall know that I am the Lord" Ezekiel 37:13

Why does God ask us questions that He already knows the answer to?  Why put us through the trouble of processing the though and deciding upon answer?

God is looking for a willing person to hlep Him.  Does He need us -- no.  Does He want us -- undoubtedly, yes!  Doesn't it feel good to be wanted?  If you read the pasage found at the link above in Ezekiel, you'll see a God who is looking for a willing man.  He asks in the midst of a graveyard, "can these bones live?"  Of course not, not on their own.  Now show a little more faith.  Here's how Ezekiel answers -- "O Lord God, thou knowest."  Makes you wonder how Ezekiel was processing these thoughts.  Was he simply brushing off the question, assuming God had an answer and would tell him, or did he know and trust wholly in his heart that God knows if the bones can live and would make them live, if it were for His glory?

Read on, Jesus stated twice that He would put breath in the bones and cause them to live.  Yet, as the miracle began, He did all but that last part, the breath of life, and entrusted His follower, Ezekiel to speak the words.  Jesus said, "Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD."  Ezekiel simply followed his command and prophesied as unto the Lord and the bones came to life.  Breath was breathed into them.

But that's not all.

Not only did breath come in, but each new body stood up, as a vast army, together in obedience to the command of God.  Ephesians 5:14 shows the same action, saying "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

God promised us that if we'll simply follow Him, he will give us the power to serve Him and for Him to work through us, as found in Luke 24:49 "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."  Bear in mind, God's power is not meant to be kept to yourself, but to be spread around and passed on.  Don't let the power die with your parent's generation or your generation, pass it to the next group of young adults who come up in your wake.

"Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 1:5

"I have overcome the world" -Jesus

Among all of the many things I found to be thankful for yesterday, I am also thankful for 23 years on God's Earth.  He has blessed me with a good life, great friends, wonderful family and a passion that keeps me driving and striving for higher goals more each day.

Sometimes, progress comes in leaps and bounds. Sometimes -- in small pieces. I'm working on a couple of projects, in addition to reading through a couple of great books (see what I'm reading in my library). Of course, depending on my projects, my reading comes in either small pieces or large leaps.

What are you working on? Is your progress coming along at a steady pace? Sometimes your progress is better to be measured by the outcome at the end, not by the time it takes to get there. I suppose it's a little bit like life; You should take several measurements along the way, but the truest measure of the total impact or success of your life will come at its end. Did you reach your goals? Did you show your compassion in your work and life? Did you act on your passion in life?

Everybody makes a difference everyday.  The question is what kind of difference.  As you travel through each day, what are you doing to enrich the lives of others?  What are you doing to show you care, to show respect, or to show your passion?  I own a copy of Mark Sanborn's book, "The Fred Factor" and recommend it as required reading for life.  One of the great tips in Sanborn's book is to "practice random acts of kindness -- everyday."  What can you do-great or small-to show kindness to someone else today?