The Ripple Effect

I recently listened to a parenting webinar in which the speaker described the Christian life as each believer being flung like rocks into a pond. We sail through the air quickly, our moments fleeting, gaining speed as we plunk down into the water, fully submerged with no hope of surfacing to our former selves.

This metaphor has been bouncing around in my mind for several weeks, as I go about the moments of my day. I imagine the Lord tossing stones from a sandy bank, whizz whizz whizz, flying through the air, our eyes gazing at the clouds and then, at the water in which we will inevitably crash. My children are, to further the metaphor, sailing upward. All they can see is the sky and the weather patterns with its changing clouds. Me? I imagine I am a bit in the middle. Mostly, my view is the sun but I am beginning to see a bit of the waves below.

As I think about my eventual descent, I can't help but wonder about how my life will impact the water. Will there be a loud splash? What ripples will I create? It is true that regardless of the shape and aesthetics of a stone, the water is unavoidably affected. How can I live a life that will have the greatest impact? The longest lasting ripples?
We went to the lake a few weeks ago as a family. My children loved splashing in the water on the sandy beaches, throwing sticks as far as they could, looking for turtles and attempting to fish. My older boys especially loved when large boats would go by, as they had learned that large boats cause large waves, even if it took some time for the waves to reach them.

This thought of wanting to live a life that created ripples was newly on my mind as I watched my older sons eagerly anticipate the waves from a passing boat. It seemed to take ages to them but, eventually, the waves would come.

My life. Waves. Large waves. How can I live a life, curate an environment, speak forth wisdom that continues to cause waves long after I have passed?

This very thought has been instrumental in my moments. Should I let the 2-year-old help with the muffins, despite the mess it will cause today? Yes. Ripples. Is disciplining the 4-year-old for disrespect at ten PM worth it despite my exhaustion? Yes. Ripples. Will a couch devoid of laundry serve this goal? Perhaps, if it means we are learning to appreciate order and blessing others. But, if the chore's value exceeds the value of a soul, then the answer is a resounding no.

So, I hope this message blesses you. Think of your ripples, your waves, your lasting effect. Our lives are but a stone's throw... but the Lord has created our lives in such a way as to have generational impact.