You Make A Difference

I received an interesting email entitled "Who I Am Makes A Difference". The story is a teacher in New York decided to honor each of her seniors in High School by telling them the difference each of them had made. She called each student to the front of the class, one by one. First, she told them how they had made a difference to her, and the class. Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon, imprinted with gold letters, which read, "Who I am makes a difference."

Afterwards, the teacher decided to do a class project, to see what kind of impact recognition would have on a Community. She gave each student three more blue ribbons, and instructed them to go out and spread this acknowledgment ceremony. Then they were to follow up on the results, see who honored whom, and report to the class in about a week.

One of the boys in the class went to a junior executive in a nearby company, and honored him with his career planning. He gave him a blue ribbon, and put it on his shirt. Then he gave him two extra ribbons and said, 'We're doing a class project on recognition, and we'd like for you to go out, find some one to honor, and give them a blue ribbon'. Later that day, the junior executive went in to see his boss, who had a reputation of being kind of a grouchy fellow. He told him that he deeply admired him for being a creative genius. The boss seemed very surprised. The junior executive asked him if he would accept the gift of the blue ribbon, and give him permission to put it on him.

And then he asked, offering him the last ribbon, 'Would you take this extra ribbon, and pass it on by honoring somebody else. The teenager who gave me these is doing a school project, and we want to keep this ribbon ceremony going and see how it affects people'. That night, the boss came home and sat down with his 14 year old son. He said, 'The most incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office, and one of my employees came in and told me he admired me, and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius. Imagine! He thinks I am a creative Genius! Then he put a blue ribbon on me that says, Who I Am Makes A Difference.

He gave me an extra ribbon and asked me to find somebody else to honor. As i was driving home tonight, I started thinking about who I would honor with this ribbon, and I thought about you. I want to honor you. My days are hectic and when I come home, I don't pay a lot of attention to you. I yell at you for not getting good enough grades and for your messy bedroom. Somehow, tonight, I just wanted to sit here and, well, just let you know that you do make a difference to me. Bedised you mother, you are the most important perso nin my life. You're a great kid, and I love you!

The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he couldn't stop crying. His whole body shook. He looked up at his father and said through his tears, 'Dad, earlier tonight I sat in my room and wrote a letter to you and Mom, explaining why I had took my life. and I asked you to forgive me. I was going to commit suicide tonight after you were asleep. I just didn't think that you cared at all. The letter is upstairs. I don't think I'll need it after all'.


His father walked upstairs and found a hearfelt letter full of anguish and pain.
The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a grouch, but made sure to let all of his employees know that they made a difference.

The message in the story is this, you are important and you do make a difference!

How many times do we go throughout our days focusing on daily responsibilities at work, in the home, and at church without ever realizing the difference we make as individuals. Well, I want you to know that you do make a difference. God created you unique with character traits no else has but you. You make difference because God loves you and gave His son to die for you. You make a difference because I love you and desire the best for you.