Traveling forth carries with it a sense of purpose and impact.
In fact, across our myriad of grand plans to change the world, it seems the only constant is a driving compulsion to reset our setting. This pandemic, however, has radically altered our ability and willingness to venture forth. Caught in this brave new world, we feel stymied in our efforts to generate meaningful impact and wonder how to correctly proceed.
Concurrently, however, these health hazards and their resultant restrictions have also caused us to rethink many of our previously safeguarded truths. Work and school are more virtual than ever, restaurants have become almost exclusively takeout, and video calls have been elevated to replace in-person interactions with doctors. I submit that a new model also exists for our world-impacting aspirations: something we once felt could only be fulfilled by a physical journey, can be completed locally if we alter our perspective.
Luke 8 provides a powerful story that highlights this alternative way of thinking. In the chapter, we catch up with Jesus and his disciples as he encounters a man who has been afflicted with demons his entire adult life. Jesus intervenes and removes the demons from the man’s life to free him. Eternally grateful, the man asks to travel on and serve Jesus, but Jesus denies his request.
“The man whom he had delivered from the demons asked to go with him, but he sent him back, saying, “Go home and tell everything God did in you.” So he went back and preached all over town everything Jesus had done in him.”
Had Jesus allowed the man to come with him, the man might well have proved helpful and possibly been a good testament to Jesus’ love and power. However, his transformation to those who had physically seen him suffering for all those years was far more powerful. There was no doubt in their minds as to the dramatic change that had occurred as they were first-hand witnesses to the before and after.
For as powerful as a story we may read or hear might be, it can’t measure up to the gravitas of something personally encountered. Consider then the story of your life. Who better to attest to the truly radical changes that have occurred in you than those who understand who you were, who you are now, and can continue to witness who you become. Simply put, those who know you best and interact with you daily are far more likely to notice and be impacted by both the positive and negative changes you make.
Our travel plans and grand adventures may be temporarily on hold, but that doesn’t mean our impact is. We can still change the world from right where we are by simply living well and loving those in our proximity. It certainly won’t go unnoticed.