Don't Ruin It For Others

 

Have you ever considered the repercussions caused by the actions of your life upon others in the world? I’ve been sitting on a few short anecdotes I’d like to knit together in an attempt to illustrate my thought of personal impacts that could shift the lives of others.

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln went into the general store business with another fellow and it failed? Lincoln ended up $1,100 in debt. He could have pleaded divided responsibility and found a legal loophole of escape but that wasn’t Lincoln’s way. Instead, he went to his creditors and promised to pay them every dollar with interest if they would just give him some time. Then for the next 14 years Lincoln scraped, saved, and paid back debts that were not all his. Even when he was a member of congress, he sent part of his salary home to pay off the last remnants of that old general store debt. “Honest Abe” went the extra mile. You know when you’re dishonest you’ll always get caught, but when you insist on being honest even though you’ve got to go the extra mile to do it, you will have a clear conscious and perhaps become President someday.

Oscar Wilde said, “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.” I’m sure you know what he was talking about. Those folks of whom your best memory involves a door swinging shut as they walk out of it. Yet they may not be the most damaging of folks. It’s those that leave, yet somehow still remain. People whose caustic words sting even after the sound has died away. There’s the person whose bad performance makes everyone question if the job is valid in the first place. A false teacher whose lies still confuse even after they’ve moved down the road. They leave a stain behind that someone else has to clean up. You can’t do much about those people, but you can make sure you’re not one of them. Instead of going out with a thud, leave on a high note. Make a mark, not a stain. Leave a good taste in their mouth, not an unpleasant one. When you fellowship and share try to make others better, not bitter.

A story is told of a young sailor who called his parents from San Diego upon his return from Vietnam. He said he was bringing his buddy home with him. “Mom”, he began, “My buddy is pretty broken up. He was severely wounded, has only one leg, one arm, and one eye.” After a long pause, his mother said, “Of course, son, he can stay with us – a little while.” Her voice carried the note that she would not like to be burdened for long with such a handicapped person. Three days later the parents received word that their son had jumped to his death from a hotel window. When they received his body for burial, they discovered their son had only one leg… one arm… and one eye.

[1 Peter 3:8-16] There’s a lot of bad news out there. The stock market is in trouble, thousands of jobs are on the line, and threats of terrorism are shadowed in the background. And we each have our own personal pain and problems to contend with – financial, physical, medical, and relationship problems touch us all from time to time. Bad news always comes from the world and always will as long as the earth exists.

The good news is, God’s “Good News” lasts forever! And we should rejoice in it always (Philippians 4:4). The good news takes care of life’s biggest problem: sin and its terrible results. The Bible says that love should be our highest aim in life, which will help keep us from sinning. Love is the basic need of human nature. God’s love gives us hope, and the promise of eternal joy. When we share God’s love with others, we honestly share His grace with a clear conscience, improving the lives of others as well as our own. So be encouraged. God’s “Good News” is victorious over all bad news. Love and live as Christ.