THE RIPPLE | Frank Becker

Week Eighteen, 2024

For as through one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous (Romans 5:19).

Growing up on a lake, I was often on or around the water. I would cast a bobber into the water and was fascinated to see ripples in perfect circumference radiate in all directions, as if to say for the fish that the hook was there.

Life is like that. We all have a ripple effect that radiates from us to others and affects their life, for good or for evil. The ripple effect of your life might be greater than you imagine. It is wise to pay close attention to the impact you may have on a day-to-day basis. Documenting the ripple effect, you have on the world may help you become conscious of ways you may have been minimizing yourself.

Throw a stone in a pond and see how far the ripples go. It depends not on the size of the pond but the size of the stone. Our words, actions and feelings affect those around us, who in turn affect individuals who come in contact with them. Communication is a powerful tool, capable of creating connections, driving results, and shaping perceptions. However, the way we communicate can also have unintended consequences, creating a ripple effect that can impact those around us in ways we may not even realize.

In life, we send out ripples every day. How much do we want to affect others in a positive way? It’s not a matter of how big the dog is in the fight, but rather how much fight is in the dog.

The bottom line is that what we say, think or do has positive or negative impact on people we have never nor will ever meet. Paul in Romans pointed out the difference between two types of men who sent out two different ripples to others. For as through one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19

All of us affect somebody. The question is, how. We can lead many to the good things of life or we can lead many to the evil things of life. Are you living a life that through your example leads others to Christ or leads them away?

What kind of ripples does your life send out to others, to your community and to the world?

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

All you have to do is turn on the television and you will hear advertisement after advertisement hawking a particular pill or medication for whatever ails you. We suffer aches and pains, sleeplessness, overweight issues, malnutrition and hair loss among many others. If we just take enough of these remedies with a regular monthly subscription, we will achieve our perfect life.

We’re not just reminded of our physical well-being, but also our emotional and sometimes spiritual well-being. Does all that stuff really bring about total healing, or will we always be discontent with ourselves? (because TV tells us so)

Why not go to the One Who created us and Who, therefore, knows how to fix us. Sure, Jesus is the One to go to for our salvation, but He can heal us in our emotional and, if it’s His will, physical ailments. God’s Word will give us the direction we need.

Need healing? Go to the Great Physician. Rich Jensen

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WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT A WAKEUP CALL FOR AMERICA

For centuries, humans have been searching for happiness. There are so many opinions about what happiness is or what it should be, but one theme seems to hold true across generations – Happiness is a state of mind.

The annual Gallup World Happiness Report recently released shows that some people living in the United States aren’t as happy as they used to be. This annual report ranks a country’s happiness overall; moreover, it ranks happiness based on age. The findings revealed that young Americans are much less joyful than older folks and their negative feelings about life and the future are to blame.

The US typically ranks in the top 20, but this year moved to #23. When you break down happiness based on age, the differences in this report are astounding. For people 60 and over, the United States ranks 10th among the 104 countries surveyed from 2021 to 2023. However, for people 30 and under, tand if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do itheir unhappiness sank the U.S. to 62nd place.

What this report revealed is that our young people are suffering from loneliness and isolation likely because of COVID. The pandemic forced them to attend school online or work remotely. Social media might have also played a role in this outcome. The isolation has continued by habit rather than mandate, mainly where contact is cell to cell rather than eye to eye. Personal isolation is both habit forming and leads to personality changes and cognitive degeneration.

Numerous studies have concluded that overexposure to social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok could lead to mood disorders, depression, and anxiety. Those feelings of reduced well-being could have dangerous consequences.

What this seemingly innocuous report on happiness has done is shine a light on a weakness we as a nation must address. More discussion is needed to find out why young people are distraught and how we can reverse the dismal outlook of today’s youth. If not, it could have wider implications over time.

Older Americans were always considered less happy, having experienced war, social upheaval, pain from various ailments and arthritis, financial loss, inflation and being replaced in society by youth and vitality. Now, we are witnessing a role reversal.

Seniors are benefiting from better healthcare, advanced technology, more financial stability later in life, extended longevity, and an overall sense of gratefulness to be alive.

Let’s hope the good fortune of seniors rubs off on younger folks over time and they realize they have the power to improve their lives because happiness truly is a state of mind.

John Grant/Retired Florida Senator and President of Seniors Across America.

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Heaven has strict entrance requirements, but hell has open borders. Rodney Akers

When you change your thoughts, remember to also change your world. Norman Vincent Peale

Definition: Cellfish….. People who just focus on their cell phones when they are with you.

Christianity without the living Christ is inevitably Christianity without discipleship, and Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Being Christian is not about merely getting saved. Salvation is indeed important, but it’s not the only hallmark of a Christian. Being a Christian is about being a disciple of Jesus. And that was one of the chief aims of Matthew in the gospel that bears his name. He wrote it as basic instructions for first-century believers on what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus. Jim Denison

If you can’t give with joy, you are better off not giving at all. Florida Marketplace Ministries

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. Albert Einstein

My worship was empty because I was too worried about filling me… instead of pouring out and worshiping Him – the one that could and would wash me clean and fill me again. Marty Stubblefield

When you have a true encounter with God, you come away with the realization that God is for you. Dan Shock

We go to all kinds of seminars to get all kinds of answers, but God has our answers. Ask Him! Matt Blair

If it’s not in God’s time you can’t force it. If it is in God’s time you can’t stop it!

What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. Anne Frank

All in this world are not disobedient to God but, the devil is the most “cunning” ‘fisher of men’” as his baits are deceitful and enticing. Stephen Bernard

What’s one of the differences between humans and animals? Animals don’t let the weak lead.

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