In our Caring Ministry Team this week, I was reminded of one of my favorite stories. As someone who has always wanted to save the world, but has always been frustrated that I am only one person, this story really resonated with me. I’ve heard from several of you this week that you are overwhelmed with the pain and hurt in your world and in the world around us. From our national politics, to our world suffering, to the climate to our own personal and family struggles, it has felt like…a lot. And yet, here you are, showing up and making a difference one small act of compassion and community at a time.
As you struggle to realize your impact, I hope this story reminds you that you make a difference in the life of this community and beyond.
The Starfish Story:
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,
“Well, I made a difference for that one.”