How do I change the world?

Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes time. Vision with action can change the world -- Joel Barker

As I reflect on my past few weeks or months of blog entries, I've realized that I've been going through a season of change. Maybe a season of maturity or growing up or being more self-aware or maybe a season of widening perspective is more like it? I started this blog just over 4 years ago when I moved from Toronto to Seattle. I was fresh out of University, knew only the things that I was taught in school and of course, thought mostly of myself. Well, actually, in many ways, i still think only of myself. but when i re-read some of my older posts, I find myself asking -- "did i really write this? it's terribly selfish!" i'd like to think that over the course of the past couple of months, I've started to spend a bit more time thinking of other people and less of myself and more about the world and the global condition that it is in rather than just the sheltered world that i live in and enjoy. all the recent blogs about being a good steward not only of the money that has been entrusted to me by God but well beyond this -- what does it mean to be a good steward of my entire life? How can I be used to change the world -- even if it means changing just one person's life? And finally, how can this new vision that i now have, be combined with action? How can this dream i have be made into reality?

Yesterday, I experienced some inner conflict. I went to my favourite local yarn store because they were having a huge sale. I know it's weird for most of you to understand this -- but luxury yarn is a good deal tempting to me!! i really enjoy knitting and being able to use my hands to create and craft something to wear or something to admire. Anyway, I bought a good deal of yarn and as I was driving home, i felt a good deal of guilt. How can I justify this purchase not just to myself, or to my accountability partner or to Hmma ... but to God who sees straight through to my heart and my motives? Was my purchase really a good use of God's money? and then i realized that everything i have been thinking, writing, posting on this blog, is all head knowledge. I believe that once this thinking embeds itself in my heart, then my actions will start to follow suit. The question for me now is -- how can this knowledge, vision, and perspective go from my head to my heart? thinking, analyzing, knowledge (these are things that I naturally really enjoy doing being the academic that I am... or maybe used to be), these all have a place in inspiring change in a person. But i believe the change is made complete when it it follows through with action.

Today, I feel challenged to make an intentional decision to become a changed, and different person. This probably won't happen immediately overnight but I want to be a changed person who is continually be challenged to think outside my own world and to start reflecting on what God's kingdom should look like on earth and how I can do my part to make it happen. I believe that a commitment such as this requires an intentional decision because it is going to change the way i make choices and decisions in my life. It will change priorities and behaviours and it might also make others around me, perhaps closest to me question my choices and perhaps even be challenged to make the same intentional decision as well. I make the commitment to change myself today knowing that as I am exposed to more and more of Jesus, his teachings, his works and his vision for humanity, that when the time comes to make a radical decision to follow Him, no matter the cost, I will be willing and available to follow God.

This won't be easy for me, i pray my readers will keep me in prayer and offer words of encouragement to help keep me moving forwards.