DON'T BE AN OLD SHOE.

I have a very old pair of shoes on my rack, you know those old shoes you have that would be really embarrassing to give out to another person, Yes, those kind of old shoes. I no longer wear it but it is still on my rack to fill space, I am sure that when I acquire more shoes, I will remove it. If something happens and the shoe disappears, I wouldn’t be bothered because the shoe is just there, does nothing, says nothing and adds no value. Just like my shoe, that’s the way some people are, they are just filling space, they do not make any impact. You have not started living if you have not started impacting. A life that does not impact will soon become a living history.

Well you might say that my shoe once served a purpose, but the truth is as at this moment, it serves no purpose and right now is what matters. One must consistently make impact, there is no stopping because once you stop making the impact people start forgetting.

The truth is things may not always go the way that we have planned them. Sometimes we make a long list of the things we want, but often times, we do not even get close to one. Life is not always about what we want or do not want, life is about creating, creating beautiful memories for others, creating loving memories for your community, creating moments that bring hope and meaning.

Life is about making impact. It does not matter how rich you are, if people have not benefitted from your wealth, you have not maximized your wealth.

No matter how brilliant you are, if you have not helped others achieve anything, you are not truly brilliant.

No matter how kind you think you are, if you have not helped anyone then you are not kind.

The people we help are a reflection of the kind of life we are living.

A good life is a life that flows with love to others, a life that daily seeks to impact others, a life that reaches out to those in need, a life that constantly thinks about making life easier for others, a life that never stops showing love, a life that brings smile to the faces of even the most difficult people, a life that creates and doesn’t stop creating.

You might say that you don’t have a good life so for you this is unachievable. Life is what you make of it, when you make it a point of duty to live an impactful life, your life changes, your life doesn’t remain the same because you suddenly develop a new hope, a new commitment, a new reason to live, a new reason to fight through every day, a new reason bigger than you.

We must live beyond ourselves; we must know that our life isn’t just a struggle. Struggle to achieve, struggle to possess, struggle to be above others, struggle to be wealthy, struggle and more struggle

A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15. Possessing and acquiring is not what life is about. When a man dies, all his wealth and possessions pass on to another, but his good works never leave him, they will always linger in the hearts of those whose lives have been touched by it. Contrary to the thoughts of people, money is not the true measure of a good life, impact is. How many people benefit from your life, how many people have made it through because you stepped into their life? A life without impact is as good as no life. When Jesus was upon the face of the earth, His life was full of great impact. Everywhere He went, He lived a mark, and people just had to know that Jesus had been somewhere. Where there was war, He brought peace, where there was hatred He brought love, where there was sickness, He brought healing, where there was death, He brought life. His life was lived for others, He made it a point of duty to always leave a mark.

Some people would say it is only the rich and influential people that can make impact and I would say that is a lie. Even people who do not have anything can live an impactful life. Be the reason for other peoples smiles, encourage someone who is down, offer help to the discouraged. Doing something for others is a sign that we are truly living.

When we live our lives in our own shell, thinking just about ourselves, wrapped in our own arms and searching for comfort on our own, we are not living and we may not find that comfort, we are only filling space but we are not truly living life.

Offer help, see the need of another, pull a brother up, show a little bit of love and kindness, open your heart to see people who truly need rescuing, do not go about with hatred’s blindness. As I write a song comes to mind:

Show a little bit of love and kindness,

Never go along with hatreds blindness,

Take a little time to reach for joy and wear a happy face.

Sing a little bit when the days are dreary

Give a little help to a friend, who’s weary,

That’s the way to make the world a happy place

Decide to make your life impactful, take some time to help people, do not be caught up in your own world. Whoever you are, whatever you are, your life is never ever too little or too big to make an impact.

Do not become an old shoe that’s just filling space; don’t just fill space in your family, don’t just fill space in your relationship, don’t just fill space in your friends life, don’t just fill space at your work place. No! Refuse to be an old shoe.

Start making impact… Start leaving a mark… Start living life