I Wanted to To Change The World
By Unknown Monk, 1100 A.D.
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.
When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.
Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world."
Great words for reflection if we rashly attempt to change something or someone else other than ourselves! We have to start with ourselves and that is the last place some people "dare" to venture. This is why usually what takes us "to the place called there" is crisis. I still want to change the world but I know it must begin with me and the surrounding community as my life impacts others, one by one, the world is impacted.
LL,
Very timely post for me. I’ll be sending some folks back here. Thanks so much…
Rich
Liz,
I so jive with this sentiment more than ever in my life. My tension is that I am viewing ever so slightly, corporate endeavors, with more suspicion. While I am an advocate for Christian community and koinonia, I am lamentably finding it much more challenging to experience it within traditional congregational formats. I so want to believe in Christian community, hence I am looking with much anticipation at the Emergent dialogues, yet I often become disheartened whenever I witness the political jockeying that often permeates most leadership circles. I truly have my hands filled merely working on myself, I pray that I can continue to contribute to corporate initiatives as they emerge.
Thanks for the post.