Make Your Community Better, part three

Matthew 5:41  

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

Part Three: Give your job the extra effort

Part Two was about having a work ethic. This is about putting in the extra effort.

There are many ways to go above and beyond. One is taking advantage of the opportunities that pop up without warning. This requires you to be observant, selfless, and generous.

You can turn “Must I” into “May I”. For instance, don’t say, “Must I pick up after someone else?” Instead, turn that into, “May I pick up that trash on the floor for you?” Offering to clear a table or put away items that were out for a project will set the example for others. You can do a quiet gift of service and see others learning in your wake. Start a tidal wave of good deeds in your community with small daily acts.

Attitude shows up in the body language. You’ll be impressive when people see the twinkle of joy in your eye as you serve others without whining. Just doing the job is one thing, but doing it with a smile is impressive. 

Coming up: Part Four! 

Want to start at the beginning? Here's Part One.

With God, All Things Are Possible

Matthew 19:26

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

In 2016, I started writing again in the hope that I would push past all the barriers that held me back from publishing for the last two decades. 

In an effort to stay focused, I went on a writing retreat and wrote the first third of a new novel. But life got in the way. My writing was paused while I juggled all of the different areas of my responsibilities. 

I held steadfastly to the belief that I could put a product in the marketplace and earn some money. The plan was to produce a book that would be beneficial to my readers. So I wrote Heroine: Rising to the Challenge, a nonfiction book for women. In a few short months, I edited and formatted it, and I bought a book cover.

I published that book in January of 2017. 

The struggle of self-publishing taught me a lot. The book in my hands was proof that I could actually create a book that other people would pay me real money for. So I continued the struggle to produce a novel. 

Over the years, I had started plenty of novels. I never really stopped writing, just hopped from one story to the next as I got stuck in each one. In an effort to make sure my novel was the best it could be, I hired a writing coach who would steer me around the possible problems and help me avoid big mistakes. I hired an editor and a formatter to make the product look professional and to improve the book’s readability. 

Only eleven short months after my first book was published, I released my debut novel, The Promotion, as an ebook. 

God was the one who gave me the gift of writing, the stubbornness to keep at it, and the encouragement and support along the way. I knew God wanted me to keep writing, so I kept the giver of my gift in mind as I wrote. I wanted him to be proud of my work. 

Now I can celebrate my victory with joy and thanksgiving because I know the reason behind my accomplishment is God. 

It’s important to remember what God wants you to do. He’s the one who makes all things possible for us. 

Want to learn more about becoming a published author? Take this free course today. And read this blog post about self-publishing on Amazon.

The Enduring Word

Luke 16:17

It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

If you’ve studied the Bible, you may have noticed that there are a lot of places where God said something would happen, and then later a different place in the Bible shows that it did happen. God isn’t into gambling. If he says something is going to happen, it’s truly a sure thing. So when God tells us he loves us, we don’t have to wonder if that’s true. When Jesus says he’s preparing a place for us, don’t say, “Really?” Instead, say, “What color are the walls?”

God wants us to believe what he says. This is also stated in Matthew 5:18, “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Through the ages, God’s word has proven to our ancestors that though our technology changes from ark to chariot to car to jet, he’s always with us, providing solutions to our problems. God has given us promises in the Bible that many of us don’t take seriously enough. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because we’re trying to see how much we can accomplish without God’s help. I have kids in school who come to me, asking for help when they need to figure out what to do next. God waits for us to come to him, asking for help too. We’re his kids. And he has all the answers.

The same words Moses wrote so many years ago still apply to us today. We have the same wisdom God gave to Solomon because Solomon wrote down much of it for us to read. Should we tell God that the Bible available to us today is antiquated and useless? Just because it was written a very long time ago, doesn’t mean it’s powerless. The age of the text doesn’t give it power. And there’s no expiration date.

The reason God’s words have endured  is because God said them. If I made a promise that my neighbor would give you twenty dollars, you wouldn’t expect to receive that money like you would if my neighbor made that promise himself. God has made promises to us that he backs up with his presence and his power.

God’s word endures because God endures. God’s word is powerful because God is powerful. God’s word is true because God is truth.

Something Cold

Matthew 10:42

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.  

How can something cold be warm?

Sometimes cold can be bad. A cold woman can be unforgiving and harsh. She can be indifferent and unkind. This is the kind of woman who inspires pity by her spiteful ways. She makes you feel the goosebumps of a bitter cold wind, even on a hot day.

Sometimes cold can be good. A cup of cold water sometimes feels like a warm hug A child who comes inside with a sweaty face, having played outside in the August heat for an hour, wants to cool his hands and throat with a cold glass of water. A cup of water to the dry and thirsty is a welcomed gift. It freshens and refuels the body.

Your generosity towards others makes them feel warm inside. When you volunteer to help out in a school or local charity, your attitude of warmth makes people feel loved. You can plant a seed of warmth and watch it turn into a beautiful harvest right before your eyes.

While you’re considering how to affect your community with the warmth of God’s love, you can find something cold and make it feel warm. Enjoy!