MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The Starfish Story
adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

In today's day and age, I think that many of us have the attitude of the wise man. There are so many people we are surrounded by on a day to day basis. How can we make a difference? I think the simple way to make a difference is to stand out from the world. In Romans 12:2 it says "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Standing out from the world will no doubt make a difference. Sure, you will go through trials and tribulations, but what a difference you can make when you withstand all of those challenges.(Matthew 5:10 -Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.) You never know how many people you will affect by being yourself and standing up for the one who matters the most. Think about it, the people who are remembered throughout history didn't sit back and follow the crowd.