Read: Judges 13:1-14:20, John 1:29-51, Psalm 102:1-28, Proverbs 14:15-16
Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord. (Psalm 102:14)
Relate: One day Celeste took her three kids to a diner for breakfast. The place ended up being packed and given the choice of sitting separately at the counter or waiting who knows how long for a table, the kids opted for the counter. Her youngest, Mary, was about four seats down when the food arrived. With the natural impetuousness most eight year olds have she yelled over, “Mommy, don’t these people say grace for their meals here.” The diner immediately grew silent and an embarrassed Celeste was frozen in her attempt for an appropriate response. The short order cook turned around and said to Mary, “We sure do. Why don’t you say it for everyone.” The entire diner bowed their heads as Mary stood up and prayed out that familiar meal prayer, “God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. By His hands we must be fed, give us Lord our daily bread. Amen.”
The faithful teaching of a mother passed on to her daughter became the highlight of the day for those at the diner. It made it into a local paper where thousands had the opportunity to read it. I found it in an archive and am telling the story over twenty years later to an audience of thousands representing hundreds of countries. Where will the story go from there? Did Celeste have any idea the potential impact of one simple act of faithful mothering would have?
React: In the book From Here To Eternity by James Jones, Malloy says, “The little bit you and me might change the world, it wouldn’t show up until a hundred years after we’re dead. We’d never see it… but it’d be there.” What are the little ways I am changing the world? What impact will the words I say have? How are my prayers unleashing the power of heaven in ways I could never imagine? The habits I am cultivating, decades from now what impact will they have on those who are watching me today? If in heaven I am given an “It’s A Wonderful Life” opportunity to see what difference I have made, will the world be better for my having been around?
Respond:
God, let me live a legacy that will bring You honor. Let the positive things I do make an impact beyond and sense of plausibility. Let those times I fail, the times I sin be quickly forgotten by those I have hurt. Give me the grace to do less and less as I strive to become more like You. Help me to speak and pray and act in ways that will change the world… even if I never realize how. In everything let Your Name be praised.
THE RIVER WALK 
because we live to glorify God:) thanks for this 😀
What a wonderful prayer. Great way to start my day. 🙂
It’s kind of like the butterfly effect. Rather than “the butterfly flaps its wings in Peking and New York gets rain instead of sunshine”, it’s more like, “A little girl folds her hands in a diner and a century later there’s revival instead of hopelessness.” Great story with a challenging message. Thanks for sharing!
This is also my hope and my struggle. Thank you for your encouragement. I’d like to share a song that truly expresses this. Hope the link works! If not, then look for ‘Find Us Faithful’ by Steve Green
God bless you!
Reblogged this on Crys's Blog and commented:
Something I hardly go a day without thinking about.
If I remembered this on a moment by moment basis, my actions would be different, more deliberate. Good post. 🙂
I have told my church family about your blog. I know you do a wonderful job reminding us about staying true to who we are, I love you for that.
Great post. God bless you for sharing
This too is my heart’s desire. To leave a legacy of Christlike service to all. I have no idea who I touch with my blog, but that is the avenue the LORD has opened for me to share the love He has lavished upon me. May the LORD continue to use you and your blog in a mighty way. Your blogs are such a wonderful source of encouragement to me. Thank you for your faithfulness to the LORD.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story! You’ve got to love kids!!
I so agree. Leaving a legacy is important but living one, everyday is just as important to me. I understand that every place of victory I walk in, becomes a foundation stone in my children’s lives. This encourages me to keep growing and learning. To press on when it is hard and to get up when I fail. Every place, I receive His victory, is a place of inheritance for my children. An inheritance of life examples, to show them how to walk, how to talk, how to think. This is a very intentional and constant goal of my walk with the Lord. Thanks for sharing and encouraging our hearts to be deliberate. Great job!
Proverbs 24:16
16 For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
Great post. Thanks for the inspiration to live beyond my own little life.
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You have remarked very interesting points ! ps decent web site . “Justice is the truth in action.” by Jeseph Joubert.