When Your World Endsಮಾದರಿ

Creating a Lasting Impact

I was raised by a woman who loved making beautiful things. Almost daily, she transformed her favorite medium—fabric—into clothes, hats, costumes, and quilts, to name a few. As she did, my mother sewed love and excellence into everything she made.

Though I can easily buy these items today, they don’t fit me like her craftsmanship did, nor do they last like hers. Her artistry lasted not just in durability but in its impact.

As part of transitioning from the military, my father gave up his uniforms for her tailored suits. That earned him the moniker of the best-dressed man in the office. Her handiwork impacted how he felt—loved—and how people saw him—a man of excellence. Like first impressions, these impacts lasted long after she finished the piece.

As we reimagine our lives, this is the kind of fruit God would have us create—fruit that remains, fruit that lasts, fruit with lasting impact.

My father retired from work decades ago, but as you can see, my mother’s work remains with me. Like her, I join with the God we serve to sew love and excellence into my work. And when we join him, he makes it last. So, whether your vocation is accounting, advertising, agriculture, or auctioneering, you can create an impact that lasts.

Prayer:

Eternal God, thank you for our creativity and the ability to create fruit that remains and that has a lasting impact on those in our sphere of influence. May we always understand that the source of that impact is you and constantly endeavor to stay connected. In the name of your son Jesus, amen.

For Further Reflection:

Think about someone who made a creative impact in your life. How do you impact those in your sphere of influence?

Activity:

Brainstorm ways you can impact those in your sphere of influence. Pick something on your list today that moves you forward in creating a lasting impact in the lives of those in your sphere of influence.

Thought for the Day:

Create a lasting impact.