Marriner’s Moment: Making a Difference – Pt. 3

Whether you support him or not, one of the most poignant charges former President Barack Obama issued in his farewell address was this: “… whether you’re young or young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President … I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours.” Each of us has the ability and capacity to make a difference in our lives and the lives of others, if we choose to do so. It’s a choice; a conscious decision and, when you pray about it, it may become your assignment.

We are living in challenging times and, in many ways, it appears our country is going backwards instead of forward. The marches and protests of the 60s and 70s may soon become critical to fostering change and making a difference. Rather than sitting back and hoping things turn out alright, we may be called upon to get up, get out and make our voices heard – in the streets and at the polls. When our children’s education and their future are at stake, we can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines and hope for the best, or pray for someone to come along, save the day and change things. When the gains that we have made continue to be eroded or undermined, we have a responsibility to speak up and make our voices heard, if not individually, collectively, peacefully and where it matters – at the polls and with our purchasing power.

Each of us has the power to make a difference – economically, socially and spiritually. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”

”Peace and power.

© Dr. Melvin O. Marriner,
Grove Church
March 2017