“Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
I visited a new church last Sunday. It was very small – less than 30 people. They meet out of a studio downtown and quickly tear down after service so the company dancers can rehearse for the evening’s performance. At a glance, when compared to the many mega-churches America has come to love, this church doesn’t seem like much. But looks can be deceiving.
This church is fast becoming a visible and integral part of its community. It has immersed itself in the local art scene – a place many churches fear to tread. Its members are serving meals to needy families. The pastor saw a need and did his part to fulfill it. In this church’s tiny corner of the city, it’s making a difference.
I wonder what the world would look like if we all did the same?
It’s easy to point out the problem. Any one can do that, but it takes guts to be part of the solution. It’s rolling up your sleeves. It’s getting uncomfortable. It’s not waiting for change; it’s being the change.
Of course, you have to want to make a difference and then put that wanting into action. As my mother says, you have to be sick and tired of being sick and tired. Many people will complain, but how many will actually get off the couch and do something about it?
It may sound like a cliché, but I love to see harmony within diversity. People of all different faiths, races, no matter who you love or what you do… you have a place at the table and a voice in the discussion. It’s why I work for Beliefnet, and it’s why I try to be kind and accepting to everyone I meet. It’s a small thing, but it’s something.
I don’t know what your “change” is. Perhaps you want to see the homeless in your neighborhood taken care of. Or maybe you simply want to see more happiness in your own life and in the lives of those you love. So, do it. Go for it. Be the change. It starts with you.
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Inspirational Quotes from Mahatma Gandhi
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