Sometimes we are the ones planting a seed of spirituality in another person. At other times, we are the ones watering the seed someone else planted. And sometimes, we are the ones helping to harvest the flowering of a soul.
Each of these actions produces ripples in the world - a small wave of action that touches one life after another. We will never fully know, this side of heaven, how far these ripples reach.
A few weeks before my senior year of high school, my parents divorced and I moved with my mother and baby sister to Illinois. Unable to cope with the circumstances, my mother and I both fell apart. But my Uncle John, who had recently become a born again Christian, would pick me up when my mom could not deal with my depression, and take me to work with him. He was a night-time taxi driver and as we drove around all night, he would tell me all he knew and believed about the beauty and joy of a true relationship with God.
He planted a seed in me, and God sent many, many people to water that seed, whether I wanted to be watered or not. God loved me and he did not want to let me go. Until finally I thought I’d try a relationship with God; right there in the bible it said, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!” If I took a taste and God wasn’t what He said he was, well, I’d just go back to what I had before. And my life has been more blessed than I ever expected.
I thought about ripples like these on the retreat weekend I just attended. During the weekend, ordinary people give talks about different aspects of their faith life, and then we form small groups and discuss how the the talks impact us and what we’ve learned. For the past ten years, I’ve led many of those discussion groups.
One talk was made by a young woman that used to be in the Sunday School classes and teen groups I taught. I remember one Sunday when no other students arrived, we sat on swings out in the playground while she talked about her struggles with faith and identity. I told her about my own teen struggles with God and how I decided to just give Him a chance, anyway.
Years later, she walked away from her faith and became deeply involved in drugs and sex. When she became suicidal, she remembered the promises she read in the bible. She decided that she would try to embrace God; if He didn’t bring the peace and joy she was looking for, then she was going to kill herself. But now? She is a woman on fire for God, full of excitement and love, and going to college to study social injustice.
Ripples. The little things we say or do each day have eternal significance, for good or for bad. My uncle’s words rippled through me to others. Other people’s ripples wash through me and refresh my soul. What ripples are you spreading through the world? What ripples would you like to share?
“Remind me of this with every decision
Generations will reap what I sow
I can pass on a curse or a blessing
To those I will never know.”– Sara Groves, “Generations”, from the album Conversations, 2001
What a great analogy of the ‘ripples’ we make in the world around us! What an incredible story of your Sunday school student who was lost and then came back to her faith life. Thank you for sharing that story. I love reading your blogs!
[...] ava414 Gods Window wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Sometimes we are the ones planting a seed of spirituality in another person. At other times, we are the ones watering the seed someone else planted. And sometimes, we are the ones helping to harvest the flowering of a soul. Each of these actions produces ripples in the world - a small wave of action that touches one life after another. We will never fully know, this side of heaven, how far these ripples reach. A few weeks before my senior year of high school, my parents divorced and I moved w [...]
I too, liked the analogy about ripples. Many years ago, angered at my failing life mostly spent in prison, I stood up in the prison chapel and denounced the Bible instructors teaching of the free will we were suppose to have. As I turned to leave this church or any church for the last time, An elderly lady blocked my path and said, “Sonny, you probably won’t understand this but God has a plan for your life.” The next morning the prison school teacher (also at the church service the day before) engaged me in a conversation that led her to tell me God could change my life. The story is much longer but those ripples were effective. The old lady was Sara Groves great-grandmother. The school teacher has been my wife and mother of our 3 children these last 28 years.
Josie, I’m so glad you like to read my blog!
John, I’m breathless after reading your story. That truly shows the power of that ripple effect. So glad that things are better for you now.
Angela I’m without adequate words. This is the stuff that I liken to being Jesus to others. Your uncle displayed that example to you and now you are to so many others. I’ve been blessed by this post. No big deal if you say no, but I’d love to take a few exerpts and lead some of my friends your way on my blog….with full credit to you of course. Let me know.
xo
Absolutely, Stacey…I’m honored! Let’s go spread some ripples around!
What a beautiful post. I have a feeling that this ripple is going to end up a tidal wave. Blessings, my friend, for blessing us so richly. xoxoxo
PS: John Thomson – If you see this, would you please email me at (I’m putting in both the HTML coding and the regular address because I don’t know which will work better)
damama002@yahoo.com
damama002@yahoo.com
I have a son in prison and I’d like your advice on some things, please. Thank you.
Damama, let’s make a wave!
By the way, I removed the “Type comment here” from the comment box at your request
. And you can use HTML in the comment box, too.
Lovely post and lovely analogy. My sister suffered severely from depression and is now finally getting better, and it is mostly due to her return to her faith and her spirituatlity.
hello =) that was a very touching post. It reminded me to never stop doing good and writing about the Lord things because i’ll never know what ripples it will produce!! thanks soooo much =)
uh-oh typo, should have not written the word “things” after Lord. Sorri about that.
I’m so glad to hear that, Ello. Faith heals.
Hi Angela,
I’m here by way of the Christian Carnival. Loved your post, and perusing your blog. Those recipes look awesome!
Blessings,
e-Mom @ Chrysalis
Welcome, e-mom! Glad you found me.
[...] Williams Duea presents Ripples posted at angelawd, saying, “Each action we take produces ripples in the world – a small wave [...]
One person who created ripples in my life has been my Grandmother. I remember waking up early and she was always in her chair reading her Bible. Throughout the day, she had verses to quote and carry us through the day. At 86 years old, she still takes yearly mission trips to the Honduras. I hope that I have her vivacity when I am 86, I hope that I can learn for her example of faith. I hope that I create ripples in someone else’s life.
Wow, SUnny, what an amazing person. I wish I had more people in my life like that. I hope you keep passing her ripples along!
Dear Angelawd
I am honored that you found something for you to write about on my blog. This really mean a lot to me. I am the ava414 Gods Window owner. The piece you wrote was “Ripples”. I never knew that people are reading my blog. I am just writing and writing – not having a clue who reads it or not.
I had a very odd experience after I have been shot while on duty at the Child Protection Unit of the South African Police Service. I had an emergency operation and after I woke up the next morning to here about all the damage there were, I fell into a deep sleep – or that is the only way I can describe it. And there came first a picture of my dog (whom I love with my whole life) and I had to push him away. Then there came a very cloudy picture of nature, which I love just as much. After that I felt how I was leaving through what some people call the crown chakra at the top of my head at an astonishing speed. And then it was all over and there was no me anymore, just Peace, Harmony and Darkness – no other awareness, not even of self. The only way to describe it now is to tell it from a self perspective, but being there, there is no self at all. And believe me, I did not want to come back! I was in heaven, according to me! But then I could feel how I was pulled from that perfect state of being back and it was first an inverse reality I found myself in and next to me sitting a nurse singing in her own language a hymn or something. And she saw my eyes opening and showed me through the window next to me how the sun/light was shining in there. But my mom told me later on there were no windows in the ICU I was in after the emergency operation. And there a new life started. And the result is all the things I am writing. God the Creator took good care of me by giving me 3 pensions in order to do the writing part. As I have realized that in the writings, there must be something of value – why else get me shot, take me to the New Jerusalem/heaven and then bring me back? Many people have told me it was a near death experience, but I leave them to think that as I know it was not that – I KNOW where I was. In the NO-thingness, the place where someone that is not a thing, or then NO Thing, lives.
And to finally find someone who actually read my blog was sort of a surprise, but much appreciated. I would love to know, besides from what my blog inspired you to write, what your thoughts of my blog was? I have 3 blogs, but they all have the same information. The first being a dark background with light letters, the second being a light background with dark letters and the third Africa. As I am staying in Africa.
REGARDS
Renee
Hi Renee, glad you found me! What an amazing story. That must have bolstered your faith tremendously. I’d be glad to give you my thoughts on your blog.
Dear Angelawd
Thank you for your comment! My blog (the one I will suggest) is ava414.wordpress.com
I can see you are a busy woman, but just a peak will mean the world of difference to me if someone like you read my blog!
REGARDS
Renee
21/03/2008 8:23PM and 8 + 23 = 31 – see the aeroplanes hitting on 9/11 where 3 hit their target and 1 not.