Impact

“It sounds idealistic, I know. Impact the world. But doesn't it also sound biblical? God has created us to accomplish a radically global, supremely God-exalting purpose with our lives. The formal definition of impact is “a forcible contact between two things,” and God has designed our lives for a collision course with the world.”

 - Radical by David Platt

Impact the world.

Honestly, this terrifies me. When I stand before God someday and give account for my time-bound life, I would quite frankly rather not be asked about the entire world. Give me one or two well behaved humans to be responsible for, and we'll call it good.

But, then, I start adding up the lives that have already intersected with mine, and, as the list stretches longer and longer, a small voice whispers that maybe it wouldn't be that much crazier to try to impact the world.

I mean, why not? What have I got to lose?

It isn't as if I have a perfect record I am trying to protect, and there are no practice rounds. This is it. I have one life. I might as well make as much of it as I possibly can, right?

If that means crashing into the world at high speed, then I'll crash away. I'm a klutz. I'm good at crashing. I impact doorways and table edges and staircases all the time; what are a few humans added to the mix?

Of course, then I cycle back into the fear, then to the boldness, then to fear, then back into the boldness again. Repeat ad nauseum.

I protest that I want to focus on the people that He has given me here and now, that I don't want to let them suffer while I chase these planet sized dreams, as if, perhaps, God will lose track of a few hundred humans the moment I cease to be in physical or mental proximity to them. As if He didn't have a plan for them at the same time that He had a plan for me.

And then, I realize that I am being ridiculous.

And, the cycle starts again.

Impact the world.

What if?