FOOTNOTE: AUGUST 2026
I’m reading the book, The Dangerous Act of Worship, and thinking about how Christians are perceived, at least here in America by the un-churched, and those who have left the church, and in reflection, I am concluding, we as a group are, indeed, a bunch of clanging cymbals, not necessarily the ones that are praiseworthy. Then maybe, it’s just all those cymbals I am hearing, are the ones I bought for the drum sets I’ve rebuilt.
Seriously though, I think of times when my neighbors had a live Mexican band playing outdoors. I didn’t join them to show them I appreciated their musical talent (not always enjoying their decibel level), but also show them the love they also deserve as God’s family, even as they live in lesser conditions than most of our congregation would tolerate.
I think of times when I could have stopped my van and picked up something that had fallen in the way of other cars, but didn’t.
I think of times when I could have stopped my van to help a group of small ducklings waddle across 169. Maybe save them from being destroyed by people like me who wouldn’t stop.
It sometimes tears me up that I’m not, or at least think I’m not, able to help more. Given all the programs that others are doing, and all we are hearing about the different missions to others such as foreign missions, national groups, and local programs like Habitat for Humanity. Then again, I have to remember I need to, like job seekers, take stock of what I do for others and have done, and why. Or how what I do may affect those people.
Writing my memoirs, I did something which made me proud. I named all the people in our family who have done missions…then expanded the idea of missions to what some of the family is doing now for others. As a youth director, years ago, I learned from a parent, 20 years later, their son became a minister because of my influence. I’ve helped people and inmates. The feedback I receive from these individuals, shows they are thinking better of themselves with less discouragement. I’m reminded of the time I helped an inmate get his Associate Degree he had, really, already earned, but had not applied for, which avoided adding to his sentence because of a forged document. I’m reminded of the chance I had helping someone with thoughts of suicide, of someone trying to injure me; preventing both. Not all things I’ve tried to do actually help others, although I hope and pray it hasn’t hurt anyone significantly.
It turns out, reflecting on what I’ve done, I’ve learned I do show God’s love and compassion to others, and do my bit for missions, but I have to keep reminding myself, as you all must do. When we’re busy, we just don’t keep track of all the things we do, forgetting or sometimes never knowing the impact we have on others. As our pastor, reminded us a couple of weeks ago, we are all part of missions; because as a church we are a team helping to make all of these things happen; that’s impact!
Sure, we may not see any particular impact at the time, or even, ever. But, if we follow in Jesus’ steps, we are likely to be helping thousands, over a lifetime, of those we meet every day.
Being nice to yourself, making an inventory of those compliments you’ve had; reminds one, those people have noticed and have been impacted in some way by what you have done. In the long run, knowing ourselves better, we are not worried about ourselves or our reputation, and thus, we can be instrumental in great things done for others, and sometimes never knowing about it. Remember, “It’s not about us.” Our Christian purpose driven life is to offer what we can, where we are, with what we have, to others.
JAMES 1:22-25 But be doers of the word…
Go on with God,
Paul T. Jackson
Revised August 2026
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