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How To Make A Positive Difference In This World Today
September 23, 2021
According to a recent survey, eighty-six percent of people ages thirteen to thirty-eight want to be an influencer. By definition, an influencer makes money by promoting products and services on their social media accounts. As this trend has grown, we now identify four levels of influencers based on the number of their followers: Nano Influencers (1,000 to 10,000), Micro Influencers (10,000 to 100,000), Macro Influencers (100,000 to 1,000,000), and Mega or Celebrity Influencers (1,000,000 +). Among the many reasons cited for wanting to become influencers is the prospect of making a difference.
I can relate to wanting to make a difference. With today’s cultural obsession with social media, it’s easy to feel we must have a large number of followers in order to have an impact. Thankfully God operates with a different currency. One of my favorite characters in the Old Testament illustrates this truth. Her story is found in the book of 2 Kings:
Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. (2 Kings 5:1-5 NIV)
We never learn her name, and she is never again mentioned in the Bible. But in these few verses we can learn so much from this young servant girl from Israel.
She experienced tragedy in her young life. Taken from her family at a young age, she now served as a slave in a foreign country. I can only imagine the pain this separation caused her and her parents.
She had a compassionate heart. Learning of her master’s leprosy, she felt moved to offer a suggestion for his healing. I marvel over her ability to set aside her own grief as she concerns herself with someone else’s troubles.
She acted with courageous faith. Despite her circumstances, this young girl believed in the power of her God to heal her master. She acted on her faith and spoke to her mistress.
She had a great impact. Because of her courage to speak, her master Naaman went to see the prophet Elisha. Eventually he obeyed the prophet’s instructions and was healed of his leprosy. (2 Kings 5:10-14) But Naaman’s story doesn’t end with his miraculous healing. Because of the miracle, Naaman recognized the God of Israel as the only true god and converted to Judaism (2 Kings 5:15-19).
The bible doesn’t tell us what happened after Naaman’s conversion, but we can speculate. I imagine Naaman, a highly regarded army commander, had great influence. Perhaps in today’s world he would be called a Mega Influencer. When others saw evidence of his healing, and as he shared his new-found faith in the God of Israel, I can’t help but think other conversions followed.
God used the faith and efforts of a young servant girl to set up both the healing and the conversion. By today’s standards, she doesn’t even register as a Nano Influencer. But without her influence, Naaman’s incredible story may never have happened.
When I get to heaven, I hope to meet this young servant girl. I want to thank her for reminding me I don’t need a huge following to make an impact in this world. I can influence others right where I am, in the midst of my daily circumstances. I just need a heart full of compassion and the courage to act in faith.
Wherever the road takes me next, I want to remember the story of this young servant girl. May I have a heart filled with compassion and the courage to share my faith in the One True God. Wherever your journey takes you, I pray you can do the same.
How To Make A Positive Difference In This World Today
September 23, 2021
According to a recent survey, eighty-six percent of people ages thirteen to thirty-eight want to be an influencer. By definition, an influencer makes money by promoting products and services on their social media accounts. As this trend has grown, we now identify four levels of influencers based on the number of their followers: Nano Influencers (1,000 to 10,000), Micro Influencers (10,000 to 100,000), Macro Influencers (100,000 to 1,000,000), and Mega or Celebrity Influencers (1,000,000 +). Among the many reasons cited for wanting to become influencers is the prospect of making a difference.
I can relate to wanting to make a difference. With today’s cultural obsession with social media, it’s easy to feel we must have a large number of followers in order to have an impact. Thankfully God operates with a different currency. One of my favorite characters in the Old Testament illustrates this truth. Her story is found in the book of 2 Kings:
Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. (2 Kings 5:1-5 NIV)
We never learn her name, and she is never again mentioned in the Bible. But in these few verses we can learn so much from this young servant girl from Israel.
She experienced tragedy in her young life. Taken from her family at a young age, she now served as a slave in a foreign country. I can only imagine the pain this separation caused her and her parents.
She had a compassionate heart. Learning of her master’s leprosy, she felt moved to offer a suggestion for his healing. I marvel over her ability to set aside her own grief as she concerns herself with someone else’s troubles.
She acted with courageous faith. Despite her circumstances, this young girl believed in the power of her God to heal her master. She acted on her faith and spoke to her mistress.
She had a great impact. Because of her courage to speak, her master Naaman went to see the prophet Elisha. Eventually he obeyed the prophet’s instructions and was healed of his leprosy. (2 Kings 5:10-14) But Naaman’s story doesn’t end with his miraculous healing. Because of the miracle, Naaman recognized the God of Israel as the only true god and converted to Judaism (2 Kings 5:15-19).
The bible doesn’t tell us what happened after Naaman’s conversion, but we can speculate. I imagine Naaman, a highly regarded army commander, had great influence. Perhaps in today’s world he would be called a Mega Influencer. When others saw evidence of his healing, and as he shared his new-found faith in the God of Israel, I can’t help but think other conversions followed.
God used the faith and efforts of a young servant girl to set up both the healing and the conversion. By today’s standards, she doesn’t even register as a Nano Influencer. But without her influence, Naaman’s incredible story may never have happened.
When I get to heaven, I hope to meet this young servant girl. I want to thank her for reminding me I don’t need a huge following to make an impact in this world. I can influence others right where I am, in the midst of my daily circumstances. I just need a heart full of compassion and the courage to act in faith.
Wherever the road takes me next, I want to remember the story of this young servant girl. May I have a heart filled with compassion and the courage to share my faith in the One True God. Wherever your journey takes you, I pray you can do the same.
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