The conference was about to begin. The emcee was rehearsing her spiels for the last time. My heart was pounding, fast and heavy.
The place alone was already intimidating. The Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center is no ordinary venue for small-time speakers like me. But that wasn’t my main concern. The speaker whom I’ll be sharing the platform with, well he’s the one who’s giving me the jitters.
This speaker’s reputation precedes him. He’s had his grinning face on the cover of many a book. His radio program is heard in many countries; his television shows are seen around the world. His voice is so familiar that, one time, an immigration officer, without even looking up at him, recognized him upon hearing his, “Good morning!” His mere name is known worldwide. And here I was, with butterflies in my stomach, sharing the speaker’s platform with him. Oh, how unworthy I felt!
He must’ve seen my nervousness. Master encourager that he was, he approached me, put his arms on my shoulders, and with that familiar, loving face, gave me some fatherly advice.
“Francis, isn’t it wonderful?” he said. I asked, “What is?” And he said, “Haven’t you noticed what we’re doing? Why, it’s the most wonderful job in the world. I wouldn’t trade this for anything else in the world.”
At the back of my mind, I thought, “Well, yeah sure. It’s easy for you to say. At least you’ve been in this speaking and teaching business for the last 30 or more years.”
But the next thing he said completely changed my perspective. He said, “You know Francis, the wonderful thing about speaking and teaching is that we get the opportunity to change the world!”
The man was right. No wonder he is what he is today – a most respected teacher, a very prolific writer and a very successful speaker. His name, of course, is Dr. Harold Sala.
Ever since Dr. Sala said what he did, I’ve never been quite the same. I realized that I was feeling uncomfortable then because I was focusing on the self. But now, with a wider perspective and pursuing a cause bigger than myself – the cause of changing the world, as Dr. Sala has put it – I do what I do. I speak. I write. I teach. Not for the money angle, but for the sole purpose of changing the world.
The following words from famous author Max Lucado really pierced my heart:
“If you ever wonder how in the world God could use you to change the world, look at these people... The people God used to change history. What can you say about a fellow whose lust got so lusty that he got a woman pregnant, tried to blame it on her husband, had her husband killed, and then went on living like nothing ever happened? Well, you could say he was a man after God’s own heart. David’s track record left little to be desired, but his repentant spirit was unquestionable.
Then comes Jonah. God’s ambassador to Nineveh. Jonah, however, had other ideas. He had no desire to go to that heathen city, so he hopped on another boat while God wasn’t looking (or at least that’s what Jonah thought). God put him in a whale’s belly to bring him back to senses.
But even the whale couldn’t stomach this missionary for too long. A good burp, and Jonah went flying over the surf and landed big-eyed and repentant on the beach.
On and on the stories go: Elijah, the prophet who pouted. Solomon, the king who knew too much. Jacob, the wheeler-dealer. Gomer the prostitute. Sarah the woman who giggled at God. One story after another of God using man’s best and overcoming man’s worst.
Even the genealogy of Jesus is salted with a dubious character or two – Tamar the adulteress, Rahab the harlot, and Bathsheba, who tended to take baths in questionable locations.
The reassuring lesson is clear. God used (and uses!) people to change the world. People! Not saints or super-humans or geniuses, but people. Crooks, creeps, lovers and liars – he uses them all. And what they may lack in perfection, God makes up for in love.1
You may not be in the speaking or lecturing circuit, but what you do out there carries the potential to change the world. Not out of your strength but from His grace. The little child you touched. The aged woman you helped. Those ailing people you reached out to. And most of all, those faltering people you shared God’s love and God’s Word with... You are in the business of changing the world!
And don’t you forget it!
(Get daily inspirational quotes and thoughts from Francis! Send “Inspire” to 288 for Smart or Sun subscribers, and 2889 for Globe. Visit facebook.com/franciskong2 for more details.)
1 NO WONDER THEY CALL HIM THE SAVIOR, MAX LUCADO