I Can…

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.                                                                                                      Matthew 25:40

I was recently speaking with a client who is feeling the effects of the current political upheaval. She feels helpless in light of sweeping changes in her field of employment. She has lost a sense of agency- that is, the ability to impact the world around her.

We all need to have a sense of the ability to impact our world in a positive way. The “macro” world is too big for most of us to alter in a meaningful way. We do not have vast political or financial power to effect large changes in our country. So, how do we react when we feel that we have lost our impact? What do we do when we feel small and powerless?

I suggested to her that she, in the words of the old proverb, “don’t try to change the world, but change the world for some of those people around her.”  In other words, she can still have real impact. She can volunteer at a preschool or nursing home; she can mentor kids; she can work at a food pantry; the list goes on and on.

The important thing is to not give in to a sense of powerlessness. We are called to have impact- to raise our voice against injustice, and to help others in need. Yes, we often can do very little in the “macro” world of political structure, but we can have very positive impact right where we live.

Prayer: Lord, give us the wisdom to determine how we can impact the world right around us, Amen