Don’t Just Be Frustrated; Do Something.
David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer

We live in a time when tearing other people down gets attention. The more outlandish the claim, the more attention we give. It doesn’t need to be true, just attention-grabbing. With all the negativity and mean-spirited commentary around us from the mainstream media and social media alike, it’s easy to think that there is nothing we can do to make a difference. I have to say that I get very discouraged at times. This past week I heard this statement from my friend and mentor John Maxwell, “We shouldn’t be frustrated by the magnitude of the problem, we should be challenged by the fact that we can do something in our area, at our time, with the people that are around us.” Wow, well said John, but what can one person do?

I know of a young man whose name is Nick Vujicic. Nick is 37, a little older than my oldest son Mike. I first saw Nick in 1984 at our annual church conference in Virginia. Both boys were sitting in high chairs for meals. Two little boys, very much alike except Nick was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder. Nick doesn’t have any arms or legs. Much later, I heard Nick tell a story that one day, early on in high school, a custodian in his school told him that someday Nick would be a motivational speaker. Little did the custodian know that Nick had thought of ending his own life. Just a few words, spoken in kindness, gave young Nick the courage to keep going. Today Nick is married with four children, is an author, and has spoken to millions around the world. According to Nick, “If I can encourage just one person, then my job in this life is done.”

How about us? Are we willing to be the cause of something good in the world around us? Are we willing to ignore the negativity and look for the opportunity to encourage others? The needs are all around us; we must get out of our comfort zones and reach out to others.

If you would like to know how you can make a difference, please join Marisa Norcross and me for Episode 136 of The Next Page podcast as we brainstorm on the ways ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.

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