“I alone cannot change the world. But I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
~Mother Teresa~
This week in my women’s Bible study, we are studying the writings and works of Mother Teresa. So the quote above is loaded with meaning for me.
First, something I didn’t know about Mother Teresa — even as she was working tirelessly ministering to the poorest of the world’s poor in the slums of Calcutta, she was fighting an internal battle, as indicated by her private letters that were released to the public after her death. Mother Teresa wrote that internally, she frequently felt alone and abandoned by God, even as on the outside she devoted her entire life to His service and ministry to His people.
We never know what someone is going through internally. The person who, by all appearances, seems to have it all might be fighting demons at every turn. Further, the person who seems outwardly confident and composed might be riddled with self-doubts and insecurities. My point with all this? Be kind. Do good. Be like Mother Teresa and offer God’s love to everyone — even those who don’t seem like they “need” it. Because you never know what challenges someone might be facing, or how your actions could help shape the world.
Also, I would argue that Mother Teresa never knew the extent to which her actions inspired others. If and when she is named a saint by the Vatican, undoubtedly this will serve to inspire even more people to continue her charitable works. As her quote indicates, her humble heart was not seeking public praise. She was just hoping to make positive changes in her sphere of influence — which grew to encompass the whole world.
I’m certainly not comparing myself to the saint of Calcutta. My final point is simply this — you never know when something you do, however small, might serve as inspiration to someone else. For instance, I’ve already been told by a friend of mine that my efforts this week to get my writing website/blog and Facebook page up and running has inspired her to do the same for her business pages. What a simple thing, to create a Facebook page! And how marvelous that one other person in my sphere of influence took action of her own because of an action of mine!
If today you drop a pebble in the water of life, how far will your ripples go? Always happy to hear your thoughts below in the “Comments” section. Praying for you always!
~LB