Make A Difference In The Lives Of Others. That’s What God Calls Us To Do

Can Scripture memory make a difference in someone’s eternal destiny?

Jesus wants His Word to make a difference in our lives, then for us to make a difference in the lives of others.

Can we know the truth?

Have you ever had a conversation with someone, and then later had something come to your mind that made you think, “I wish I’d thought of that at the time??

That has happened to me many times. Let me tell you about one of them.

I used to see Tom at the gym where I go to work out. Although he was in his 70’s, he could race-walk with amazing speed.

During one of those encounters at the gym, we got into a discussion about the Bible.

I believe with every fiber of my being that every word in the Bible is true and that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. But I was aware that Tom did not share that conviction.

I asked him, “Tom, do you believe there is such a thing as absolute truth? Are there truths that are true for every person?”

“No”, he exclaimed, “I believe that truth can be different for each person.”

Here’s what NOT to do. This will not make a difference in the way you want it to.

In the past, I had thought about how obviously contradictory that concept was. How can it can be absolutely true that there is no absolute truth? I had secretly harbored a wish for an opportunity to nail someone with their own words. Now suddenly, here was my chance.

“Really??”, I replied, “Do you believe that? Is that absolutely true?”

“Yes!”, he exclaimed with great conviction in his voice.

I had him!

“But… you just said there was no absolute truth”, I replied. I tried to suppress a bit of smugness. I had won the round, and he knew that I knew it.

The realization that he had been maneuvered into a trap only served to anger Tom.

“All right!”, he exploded, “There is truth! But NO ONE CAN KNOW WHAT IT IS!!

That was essentially the end of the conversation. A matter of a few minutes later, and each of us went our separate ways.

Over months that followed, I began to regret having set Tom up like that. I felt convicted. My “victory” only served to alienate him from the Bible, not draw him into it.

This Time, I Got A “Do-Over”; a chance to make a difference for God

A couple of years later, as I was getting out of my car in a store parking lot I heard a voice say, “Jan? Is that you?”. It was Tom. I had seen him walk by, but had not recognized him. There was something different in his appearance.

We exchanged pleasantries for a minute. Then, acting on an urge from the Holy Spirit, I brought up the subject of our conversation that day at the gym.

“I don’t think you really meant what you said that day”, I said. I cited a couple of examples.

I imagined that when he flew by airline, surely he believed that the pilot and co-pilot were doing their jobs according to truths they had learned regarding flying, navigating, weather, fuel consumption, etc. I also assumed that when he went to see his doctor, he again relied on the doctor knowing truths about medicine. Tom wholeheartedly agreed with me on both of those.

“What you probably meant”, I said, “Was that you don’t believe there is any absolute truth in spiritual matters.”

“Yeah! Yeah!”, he replied with excitement. “That’s what I meant!”

[tweetthis]#ScriptureMemory Ever regret a careless remark? I got a chance to make it right. Did it change Tom’s eternal destiny?[/tweetthis]

I don’t know how many times this has happened: I’ll have a conversation, and then later, God brings to my mind what I wish I’d said. Now here, I actually had a chance to set something right that I hadn’t done properly the first tine.

If ever there was a moment when I was glad I had done some Scripture memory, this was it. With a combination of gentleness and conviction and a sense of urgency, I shared with Tom these words from Jesus Himself:

I said to Tom, “Jesus Himself said that we will know the Truth, and the Truth will set us free!”

make a difference

Here is the entire Scripture passage:

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31~32)

Jesus promises: if you spend regular time with Him in His Word, you will have His truth. When you have the Truth of God’s Word in your mind and heart, you might be able to make a difference in someone’s eternal destination!

I quoted the passage to him and then said, “You may want to re-think your belief, Tom. Some day you’ll have to stand before Jesus and be held accountable for your unbelief in what He said.”

Tom didn’t have much to say in response to that.

Did he “get it”?
Did the words I quoted make a difference?

Just a few months later we learned… Tom had died of cancer!

In that moment I realized: that explains the change in his appearance that day in the parking lot.

His color was not right. He was dying!

I am absolutely convinced…

Down to the soles of my feet I believe that God arranged those two encounters between Tom and me, and that He prompted me as to what to say and how to say it at the second encounter.

Several times since then I’ve wondered: did Tom go home and re-think his beliefs about God and biblical Truth? Did the words I spoke — which truly were the Words of God — have any influence regarding Tom’s eternal destiny?

Did I Make A Difference?

I won’t know for sure until I get to heaven.

Before I Conclude…

Here’s another encounter

I heard of a conversation between two men attending a Bible church. One of them attended regularly; the other attended very irregularly.

One day, the “Perfect-Attender” said to the other man, “You ought to be in church on Sunday!!” He (the”perfect-attender”) was technically right — but his method was totally wrong. Here’s the result:

The second man went home that day — and never returned!

Here’s The Principle:

  • You’ll never “embarrass” someone into the church.
  • You’ll never “guilt” someone into the church.
  • You can, however, LOVE them into the church!

~ jan


 
 

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{ 3 comments… add one }
  • Jennifer 02/07/2019, 11:43 PM

    Is true Jan I had heard a lot of story of people who dont go to church because of incidents like this one. When I tell someone to come to church with me and they say no I dont get mad i just tell them if you ever want to come just let me know. I’m not a religious person but I like to go to church every sunday because I feel in peace for the rest of the week, God make my weeks go easier.

    Reply Link
    • Jan Smith 02/09/2019, 1:44 PM

      Thanks for writing, Jennifer.
      As we know, the Bible calls to “love one another” in many places. The real test, of course, is: when the test comes, will we remember to respond in a loving, God-honoring way, or not. That’s the test.
      The sad thing is: many self-identified Christians respond in exactly the same now as they have done all of their lives.

      Reply Link
  • Alison 03/20/2016, 7:09 AM

    For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to who so ever believe’re in him,shall not parish but have ever lasting life. John 3.16

    Reply Link