Being Remembered or Making a Difference

I think a lot of people want to be remembered. In high school I was a pole-vaulter. I can remember looking at the school records for all the track events on display over the coach’s door near the weight room and thinking, “I want my name to be up there.”

I spent a lot time and energy practicing to make that happen, only to have someone else beat my record the next year. I can still remember my disappointment when I realized my name didn’t last.

As I walked the halls of my old high school that day I came to the realization that it was no longer my high school; it belonged to the teenagers who were already there. I still knew quite a few of the students there, but it wouldn’t be long before no one would know who I was or that I even attended the school at all.

The desire to be remembered can be a strong one. When I was at my twentieth reunion I saw a guy named Brian who I had a few classes with. I remembered his surprise when I was able to remember the musical instrument he played in high school. When someone remembers us it makes us feel important.

The problem is when we make being remembered our goal we place our feelings of importance in the hands of others. When we do this it doesn’t matter how good a job we did if someone doesn’t remember, suddenly we are not important. Our self esteem is suddenly at the mercy of others.

On the other hand, if we change our motivation to making a difference the outcome changes dramatically.

By focusing on making a difference in the lives of others we focus on meetings someone’s needs. Being remembered is no longer important, only that we make a positive difference.

That is what the Christian walk is all about, meeting the needs of others. James 2:16 says “If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? “

As we grow as a Christian we are supposed to be denying ourselves more and allowing God to replace our self centered desires with the desire to further His kingdom. When our focus is on being remembered we are focused on ourselves. When our focus becomes making a difference we begin to open ourselves for God to change us and to make His cause our cause.

What is your motivation? Are you more focused on being remembered or on making a difference? The answer to that question can make all the difference!

Johnny Walker is a Christian Counselor and the founder of Family Works Counseling. You can reach him at (770) 456-5547.