We have the power and potential to be the catalyst for transformation in someone else or in the world itself, to make the world the better place it deserves to be, that God wants to see it become.
Do you consider yourself a leader? Most people don’t. We tend to think that it takes large, impactful moments for something to be considered an act of leadership.
We take this title of leader as if it is something we might deserve one day, but to call ourselves leaders now is a certain level of arrogance that we are not comfortable with. But this devalues our everyday occurrences and encounters with others.
We do not need a grand, monumental act to consider ourselves leaders and to provide transformational leadership. We are and can be leaders, and we should feel good about and take credit for those little moments that make a difference.
True leaders incite transformation, much like Christ did. And the truth is, we can make a great deal of change, even with the simplest of actions—actions that mean little to us, that we may not even remember, and yet have a major impact on someone else.
Think about a time when someone did or said something that made your life better. It could have been a kind word when you needed it, an invitation or even just a smile at the right time. It was a small gesture to the other person, but meant a lot to you.
Have you told that person what they did for you? If not, why not?
To celebrate birthdays, all we have to do is not die for 365 (or 366 in a leap year) days. Yet we let people who have made our lives better walk around without even knowing it.
We have all been the catalyst for a powerful transformation in someone else. We have all made someone else’s life better by something we said or did. We might not remember it or have any awareness of the impact of our actions, but we have done it. If you don’t believe me, just think about how many of these moments you have received but that you haven’t shared with the people responsible.
My encouragement for you is twofold:
One, tell those who have made your life better in both small and large ways what they’ve done.
Two, be aware of the impact you can make on the world, even in those everyday little encounters that don’t seem particularly meaningful at the time.
We have a tendency to view transformation and this leadership notion as some pie-in-the-sky, major deal and impossible-to-accomplish task. But that’s not the case at all. Sometimes all it takes is a very simple action.
We all are and can be true, transformative leaders. We really can change the world and make a difference in this great place God has created. It’s not one world that is unchangeable and unable to be affected by our words and actions. No, it is a living, breathing, thriving organism that has unlimited potential to take transformation.
Sometimes it may seem like it requires a great deal of work, like the construction of an Empire State Building. Other times, all it may take is the extension of hand.
We should be aware of what we are doing, how we are doing it and why we are doing it if for no other reason than a chance to make this world a better place, one person, one transformation and one small act at a time. Maybe that was God’s intention all along.