Live to Impact

That was the title of the sermon at my church this past Sunday. An apt motto for those who really want to live rather than just survive. A motto I have aspired to for a long time. It is not a one step or multi step process but a way of life. The irony of the situation is that it does not matter if one wants to impact or not, ones actions always have an impact on the surrounding environment for better or for worse.

The assumption of the title is to make a positive impact. The simplest way would be to reduce your negative impact, which is easier said than done. A few days ago I was driving with some friends and was (as is usual) boasting about my Indian driving skills i.e. jumping red lights, driving on the opposite side of the road, etc etc, when I realised that it was not something to be proud about. I know that sounds corny but the truth of the matter is that if you want to 'live to impact' (for good) you have to make conscious decisions on such simple things.

A lot of people, of which yours truly is foremost, provide a lot of lip service to such a life but their actions betray most of what they say. But people like Gandhi, Mandela, Mother Teresa did not just impact the world with their words but their actions. The fruits of their actions are testament to the impact that they have had in the lives of others.

There is no denying the fact that our life has an impact, the question remains weather it is for better or for worse?