Make a Difference

"Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three."

2 Samuel 23:18

Abishai was the chief of David’s mighty men. Here is just one man, filled with God, who swung his spear, his lone spear, against 300 enemies and killed them. One man can make a difference if that man is totally committed to God. What he did encouraged the other men.

Billy Graham said: “When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”

Brave actions on the part of one man will define his reputation. People take note, but more importantly, God takes note. Throughout history there have been men who acted alone in doing the right thing, men like Daniel, Paul, Stephen, Elijah, Moses, and Abraham, just to name a few.

God is looking for such men today, men who do not adjust their convictions based on political correctness but takes their cues from God alone and His truth. Standing alone is difficult, but God delights to stand with that kind of man.

Paul said, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). If you try to please people, people will get mad at you anyway. However, if you choose to please God, God is with you, and it doesn’t matter who else is against you.

5 Lessons About Making a Difference

1. 1. Determine that you will be committed to Jesus Christ regardless of whether anyone else is or not. Even if it means standing alone, you are willing.
   2. Remember, God plus one equals a majority, every time. Make sure you are on God’s side. If you are on God’s side, He will be on your side.
   3. The fellowship you will have with the heavenly Father when you determine to stand alone, if necessary, is so much better than having hundreds, even thousands of people applauding you for pleasing them.
   4. “Depend on it. God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. He is too wise a God to frustrate His purposes for lack of funds, and He can just as easily supply them ahead of time as afterward, and He much prefers doing so” (Hudson Taylor). It is the same with using God’s weapons. When you use God’s weapons, God’s tools, He multiplies their effectiveness over the weapons of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
   5. Strive to be a man with the reputation that you will do the right thing regardless of the cost. Be a man who is seen as a “difference maker,” who wherever God puts you, you will make a difference regardless of where you are or what you are doing.

Beginning today, determine to be a difference maker and God will supply His power for you to accomplish that. (From the 31 Day Devotional, 31 Leadership Lessons From David’s Mighty Men).