One of the benefits of getting older…approaching “Senior Citizenship”; is possibly the rare glimpse of the impact your life’s journey has made. They say, ” Hind Sight is 20 20″. You can probably look back at your life and see reasons for the paths you took and the outcome becomes clear. We all look back from time to time to take stock of our life. Some of the results make us quite proud, happy, fulfilled and joyful. If we chose to look…we can also see the pain and suffering we experienced or possibly caused. We can remember a variety of feelings about our past both good and bad, with endless emotions in-between.
I have been blessed to have former students or clients, come to me years later and thank me for the impact I made on their lives. More often, I have wondered about people, and how their lives have turned out. I have spent years at a job, and around thousands of people…and I wonder…did my work matter? Did I make a difference?
I can look back on my life and know deep in my heart that for the most part…I was “all in”. I have tried my best to be a good and caring person. I was raised to work hard and do a good job. I have had passion for most every job in my life time. When I worked at the Florida National Bank for five very very very long…months – I did my best. My first job at a restaurant called Swenden House where I was a busgirl and given a really hard time by the busboys…I worked very hard. And at my job at the local Sub shop where I was told that I needed to get faster or they were going to let me go…I poured it on and turned the situation around.
I worked at these jobs because I needed money…work experience…and to grow up and become an adult. I had no intention of making those jobs my life’s work. But I did my best. A Christian during those times, I wonder…did I make a positive impact for the Lord while I was there?
The jobs that followed were jobs centering around my passion to help people. I am a counselor. I have a passion for helping people untangle and make sense of the messes in their lives. I thought that I would become a therapist and my impact would be great. I tried to follow the path that God had planned for me. I wasn’t sure what direction I was to go. He was my compass and my guide. I have attempted to listen intently, letting Him lead me through life. There have been times when I got on the wrong path or took a detour to make my journey easier or faster. Most of the time I asked Jesus for help. Jesus always seemed to get me back on task. I have made huge mistakes and caused challenges and pain for others and myself. There have been times when I was not as close to Him, with our relationship one sided. But I have never left the Lord.
My most recent job, I had for over 20 years. It was fulfilling because I knew that I was helping people every day. That was my sincere focus…to be a positive force in my clients lives. The work was good but the job was very demanding and there were times when I didn’t think I was using my education. During the twenty years…I went back to school, I published a book, I sold paintings all in an effort to open another door. I kept asking God to help me get to where I was destined. There were times when I felt trapped and I didn’t understand.
Finally after asking the Lord to make another way…He answered. I was given two weeks to finish the job. The door would then…be shut behind me. I had the audacity to be shocked at first. I reminded myself about all the years of prayer. I was determined to leave with dignity and poise. I had to lean on Jesus every hour of every day. My co-workers and I prayed, encouraged, cried together and propped each other up. We worked our jobs to the fullest of our abilities. We treated our clients with the utmost kindness and care. All to bring Glory to the Lord. One of the last days of work…one of my bosses who had witness our decorum, said to me, ” I am amazed at how you handled this situation. I admire you so much”. Her words spread out in midair as if suspended. She being a Christian, knew I had been leaning on the Lord. Her words touched me…someone had noticed that God was my source of strength.
We may never know the impact our actions make on another person. We might touch someone’s life who we are in contact briefly…like the cashier at the store to whom we smile or greet warmly. We may never know in our lifetime…if we have helped others. All we can do is to keep trying to let God lead us in the right direction. All we can do is love people and care about their lives. That’s Jesus’ message…”love others as yourself”. It’s important to enjoy the process of our lives and practice the teachings of Jesus. Odds are…and I believe this whole heartedly… the impact we are making can’t be measured. It’s not the measurement or the number of results that are important…it’s… did we act out of love for humanity? Did we put other’s needs before our own? Did we trust the Lord to lead us every day to those people where He… could make an impact?
John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”.