A story that I heard years ago:
Once there was a really bad storm that left thousands of starfish stranded on a beach. They could survive there for a while, but they wouldn’t make it until the tide came in, and several were past the point where the tide would ever reach them. After the storm had passed, a boy was on the beach. He picked up a starfish and threw it back into the sea, and then another, and another. He kept doing this over and over again. An older man showed up on the beach and saw what the boy was doing. He went up to the boy and laughed, saying “My boy, look at all of these starfish. You’ll never be able to save them all. Do you really think you can make a difference?” The boy looked up at the man while throwing another starfish into the sea, and said, “I just made a difference for that one.” He bent over to pick up another starfish, and threw it into the water, “I just made a difference for that one, too.”
How often do we see things happening around us that seem insurmountable, and therefore we do nothing because we think doing something small is the same as doing nothing at all?
Bible Passage
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 25:31-46 ESV
Prayer
Lord, please encourage us to help wherever and whenever we can. Remind us that no problem is insurmountable. We know that with You, nothing is impossible, Lord. You can move mountains. You can part the waters. You can place a river in the desert. When we take everything to You in prayer, we’re inviting You to help us do the impossible through You and Your love. Thank You dear Father in Heaven. In Jesus’ name we pray Amen.
