All the difference

     Sometimes I feel like I'm not making a difference.  Do  you?  Feeling that way isn't good for me.  It isn't for you either.  We have a choice in the matter.  We can assess our recent past and acknowledge that we have made a difference.  We can determine to make a difference today.  Or we can do nothing as making a difference isn't what we are about.  Making a difference isn't about being the hero or the champion.  Making a difference in the world is that way.  Making a difference as a Christian means we already have the hero and champion.  We have Jesus and he definitely makes a difference.  Without Christ's love we cannot know or give away love.  Without Jesus' finished work on the cross and his resurrection we don't have a chance of our own eternity with him.  When we look over the work on the cross; we are supposed to be in awe of it's timelessness.  We are supposed to be encouraged and full of hope.  What we do with the cross and resurrection makes all the difference.  At least it does for me.  Those who confess Jesus do make a difference to God, to other Christians and to those perishing.
     There are dry spells in most everyone's lives.  Either at work or home, in church or out of church dry spells happen.  Some actually choose to continue living in the dry spell and that means there is no difference being made.  The status quo isn't for the Christian.  There is no status quo with Jesus.  There should be movement either in your personal life or your life with others.  That's how others come to desire Jesus as their Savior.  You may not think you are having a dry spell and that you are doing what God wants.  The answer to that query is to ask yourself a simple question:  "What evidence is there that I'm a Christian?"  The fruits of the Spirit should be present and the greatest of these is the love God has bestowed upon us.  Are we loving those who need Jesus?  Love takes any number of forms.  The ultimate is giving up your life for Him to live through you.  The amount of love you can give is equal to that which you have accepted from God.  That amount is determined by how much of your life is given to God.  If you are holding onto "your life" then you don't have the love of God in that part. 
     I have an orchard on my property.  The fruit trees, grape vines and such all belong to God.  If I do nothing, they eventually will cease to produce.  There are three basic rules to pruning trees so they produce.  First is doing the pruning in the right season.  Second is to prune everything that is growing straight up.  Third is to prune all branches that cross each other.  That's it.  Sounds simple and is if you follow the directions.  We all have seasons where we are in need of pruning.  Will you let God prune that which is not desirable in your life?  The straight up branches symbolize our standing on our promises instead of God's.  When we run our lives (upright branches) there is a need to be pruned.  The crossed branches are symbols of the way we have the world entwined in our lives.  With the world messing up our lives there is little chance of much productivity.  This winter I will prune my orchard and help the trees to produce better and more abundant fruit.  That's the way it should be all year round with the Christian.  We should be encouraged to seek the pruning so that the love of God can better delivered to the lost.  We, through Christ, make all the difference.  It's your choice.