By: Kim Scott
As I was preparing for this week's episode entitled, Be A Vessel, it led me to think about the inspiration for our Spots of Time logo.
The logo is an abstract butterfly which was inspired from the idea my daughter started years ago called the Butterfly Effect. She described the feedback people shared about my retreats, talks, and ministry work as transforming not only for themselves but far-reaching as it had an effect on their relationships as well.
What is the Butterfly Effect?
The “butterfly effect” is the idea that because our world is deeply interconnected, as such, one little action, event, or occurrence can have a greater impact and influence in a much larger system.
We may not know all the people we inspire and influence. But we must trust that God will spread the seeds we sow to the people we influence and that our influence might result in larger differences.
And for that reason, it is crucially important for us to be a vessel for God’s love, mercy, comfort, peace, goodness, etc. God can do great things with little efforts.
I think it might have been Mother Teresa who said,
“you may be the only Jesus someone meets.”
Think about that.
Someone may be filled with sadness and despair and when they encounter you, a warm smile may be all they need to change their perspective or mindset…or the course of their day.
Teresa of Avila said that
“yours are the hands of Christ; yours are the feet of Christ.”
The work of Jesus still needs to be done and it’s up to us to do it; to evangelize not so much by what we preach or teach but by who we are and how we show up in life.
The Application
And what if I told you that who you are and how you show up in life has the possibility of changing the world? Would you show up differently?
We all see the torment and despair in the world - in far away places and often, in our own backyard.
How is God calling you to empower hope and healing in the world?
Take a few spots of time today to consider how you can be a vessel for God today. Perhaps your one small act of kindness will result in the butterfly effect in your hometown or possibly somewhere on the other side of the world.
On two occasions, someone has offered to pay for my order - once at Starbucks and once at a fast food drive through. I drove up to the window to pay and the cashier informed me that the person in front of me had paid for my order. I was so moved by the gesture of kindness and self-giving that I was moved to pay it forward. In the drive-through, I offered to pay for the person behind me; later, on another visit to Starbucks, I offered to pay for the person behind me. Just like my reaction, she was joyfully surprised!
Our actions are interconnected, creating the possibility for a butterfly effect that can ripple across time and space to affect the lives of many.
Who knows how they will respond…only God knows, but I do know that God can do the impossible.
Empower Hope and Healing.
Kim
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