Make a difference! Change the world! We have a longing to make a positive impact on the world around us. When we pursue that longing, we answer the call of Jesus, who summoned his followers to be “light” and “salt” for the world, and who said that we are here on earth to “bear fruit” for God’s Kingdom.

Young people today are especially inspired by the dream of “changing the world” for the better. Yet that dream can falter amidst the hard realities and demands of life. How can we truly make a difference when the problems of the world are so intractable, the conflicts in the world so severe, and the needs of the world so great?

We can do so when we connect with God’s Spirit through the church! It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to genuinely do good in the world, and it is through the church that our gifts, though small, become greatly multiplied. Our United Methodist Church today is making an enormous impact locally and worldwide. When we join in the mission of the church, we fulfill the calling of Jesus to “go and bear fruit, fruit that lasts.” (John 15:16)

It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to genuinely do good in the world Share on X

Sunday’s Scripture Readings
Luke 13:6–9
Mark 11:12–24

About the Author

Dr. David A. Palmer has been the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church of Kent since 1995. He has a B.A. from Wittenberg University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. A native of Wooster, Ohio, he has served three other churches in east Ohio before coming to Kent. He and his wife, Mavis, have three children.