I want to take a moment for us to think about our lives. Think about where you started, and think about where you are now. You are not here today purely from your own ability. It wasn’t just because of you that you are where you are today. Somewhere along the way, someone stepped in to your life and gave you a hand.
I want us to think about that person (people) for a moment. Maybe it was a parent, teacher, coach, grandparent, pastor, friend, etc. Someone saw you. Someone believed in you. Someone invested in you. Someone made a sacrifice for you.
The truth is that none of us got where we are today on our own. Every one of us have been shaped by people who made an investment in us. They opened doors we couldn’t open ourselves. They walked with us through difficult seasons. They spoke life into us when we needed it most. Ultimately, they changed the direction of our lives.
These people were a gift. They were sent by God to make the investment God knew you needed in order to put you on the track that led you straight for His plan for your life. These people were difference makers in your life, and praise God for them.
So what is a difference maker?
Difference Maker — Someone who steps into another person’s story and helps them get where they could never get on their own.
A difference maker is a God-given trait. The Bible is full of people who became a person who changed the course of another person’s life due to the investment they made. However there is one particular story that comes to mind.
Mark 2:2-5
“And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.””
Let’s talk about what a difference maker does according to the account written in the gospel of Mark:
A difference maker notices a need
v2 — “And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.”
The paralytic couldn’t get to Jesus on his own. He was completely dependent on someone else to help him.
While others may have walked past his condition or assumed someone else would help, these four men noticed his need and chose to respond.
A difference maker sees a need because they see a person and their value through the eyes of Jesus
A difference maker takes responsibility
v3 — “And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.”
The man’s paralytic condition was not their problem. However, they still made it their mission.
Difference makers don’t wait for someone else to do something about it.
Instead they take responsibility by doing what they can.
A difference maker is willing to carry the weight
Carrying a grown paralyzed man on a mat is not an easy task. Yet, they did it anyways.
A difference maker is willing to make an investment and is willing to pay for it. Somebody paid a price for you, they were a difference maker.
A difference maker doesn’t quit when obstacles appear
v4 — “And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.”
When they got the paralytic to the house, it was full! There was no way in to the house since the house was packed.
They could have given up and said they tried. However, they did something drastic: They brought him into the house through the roof!
Difference makers don’t quit at the first sign of trouble, they continue to find a way.
A difference maker brings people to Jesus
v5 — “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.””
These four men could not heal their friend. They could not forgive his sins. They couldn’t even do anything to transform his life. Only Jesus was able to do those things.
They were not trying to fix the paralytic, they were simply trying to get him to Jesus. That is what difference makers do.
Last week when I was in Kenya, I got to see first hand of what a difference maker looks like. That is the power of a sponsorship.
Kids are clean, fed, well kept, etc
Parents are doing much better
Lives are changed
All of these things are true because someone chose to make an investment.
Someone:
Saw the need
Took responsibility
Carried the weight (paid the price)
Went the extra mile
Made a difference
By doing these things, you are ministering to the heart of Jesus.
That is the heart of the gospel! Jesus…
Saw our need
Took responsibility for our sin
Carried the weight of our sin on the cross
Did not quit on the road of suffering and death
Made a way for us to come to the father.
Realize that the greatest investment you can make is in the people who are in need all around you. Stocks, 401K, and other things are good investments. However, people are the only thing that truly will last forever. It is true that you may never know the full impact of one conversation, one act of generosity, one invitation to church, one prayer, one sponsorship, or one moment of encouragement. But God does.
One day in heaven, you will meet people whose lives were changed because of the investment you made in their lives; because you chose to become a difference maker.
TAKEAWAYS
This week, be a difference maker…
Look for a need
Step in to meet that need
Make an investment
Bring them to Jesus
