By C.K. Lester
The world is a big place.
Sometimes we think that if we don't do something big, we haven't done something important. But that's not the case. In fact, it's a lie of the devil to keep us discouraged and to keep us from doing anything.
But, okay, let's say we want to literally change the world. Here are the four steps you must take to change the world:
Change yourself.
A person who wants to change the world has to have certain characteristics. These include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You also have to have a healthy lifestyle. That means a healthy diet, exercise, and plenty of sleep. Without these characteristics, you could change the world, but it wouldn't be for the better!
You cannot become this kind of person without a relationship with God. Because it is God's will that you change yourself, He will work with you on this one.
Change your household.
If you want to make an impact in the world, start with the people closest to you that are the easiest to reach. This isn't as easy as it sounds! Even Jesus had a hard time with this one. But if you can affect change here, you're off to a good start in changing the world.
It is God's will that you help those of your household, so ask for His help!
Change your neighborhood.
It's important in this step to be part of a loving, Christian church family, because they can help you affect change in your neighborhood. You, your household, and your church form a powerful army that can do God's will and change your neighborhood for great good.
It is God's will for you to help your neighbors, so, again, ask for His help and He will provide.
Change your world.
Once you've established yourself as somebody worth hearing, take some time to pray. Ask God what His will is. He might tell you to stay right where you are, or He might tell you to reach out to your city, your state, your country, or even the world.
God might not want you to actively change the world in the way you think you should. Consider Mother Teresa. She was changing her neighborhood, and God used her to reach the world with a message of giving and love.
Changing the world takes a lot of time. Most of us have come to expect change almost instantly. Want a hot dinner? Microwave it in minutes. Want to watch a movie? Watch it now with pay-per-view. You have to leave that mindset behind.
But don't give up. This is how you change the world. A lot of people want to change the world and just run out of time. But on the way, they've changed enough lives to make a difference to a lot of people.