Some voices reach a handful and other voices reach multitudes. But whose voice is it that reaches the voice that reaches the multitudes? It could be yours!
As humans, we can't help the fact that we have preferences to the sound of one person's voice over another when it comes to performers and/or speakers. Some voices are calming and soothing and can lull us to sleep, while others are harsh and loud with the ability to jolt us out of our seat. Sometimes it's the delivery and how they present and other times it's really just the actual sound of their voice we either like or dislike. We're all made so uniquely that I have to believe some voices are meant to be heard by a particular person or group of people, while others are designed for a completely different group. You may be asking yourself where I'm going with this and how on earth could this have any spiritual connotation. I'll get there, I promise.
Although we all have our own preferences, there are some voices that are capable of attracting large crowds and followers, while others that are every bit as good seem to draw in much smaller groups. Not all voices are intended for all people, but why are some seemingly more "successful" than others?
Growing up, I was introduced to a little girl in kindergarten who became my very best friend. Although we’re not as close now as we were then, we have remained friends to this day. I was a pretty quiet child and my circle of school friends was fairly small. My best friend and I came from very different backgrounds. I grew up in a Christian home going to church every week, she grew up in a home that didn’t practice Christianity, with a father that emphatically did not believe in Christ and wanted nothing to do with Him. I remember talking to my friend about Jesus and eventually invited her to attend vacation bible school with me one summer. She loved it and came to accept Christ as her Savior. It took a shy little girl with a quiet voice to impact my friend. She was also quiet, so she may not have responded to a louder, outgoing voice. Fast forward to today, her entire family eventually came to know Christ, including her father. She and her husband are leaders in their church and her children are both serving in ministry leading worship and traveling abroad on missions trips to deliver the message of salvation to other countries.
A pastor that leads a congregation of less than 100 people, is actively involved in the community and faithful in supporting foreign missions. It may appear that the pastor has a small voice by the crowd that gathers in the room, and even by the number of those that connect with the church online. Recently, he felt he had a God-given directive for the missionary they support and suggested she purchase specific equipment that would allow her the ability to host and broadcast Zoom meetings. She took the direction, purchase the equipment and now broadcasts weekly prayer across multiple platforms that connects leaders across the world together at one time on Zoom to pray for the nations.
Two people with seemingly small voices impacted two other people. One of those voices went on to impact an entire family across multiple generations. The other voice impacts hundreds of others across multiple countries. What am I saying? It may appear that not many respond to the sound of your voice and your reach and/or impact is limited. But consider this - it may be your very voice that impacts the one that impacts generations and nations. Appearances are deceiving and what God is doing in the background is much larger than what we see in front of us. We can't hang our hat on the number of "likes" we receive or the size of congregation we lead, big or small. We can't insist on taking credit for any impact our life makes. Nor can we consider anything we do, the one person we reach, as insignificant. The sound of our voice impacts the sound of another's that has the potential to impact multitudes, and you may never know who that voice belongs to.
Scriptures:
"So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor." I Corinthians 3:7-8 (NIV)
"And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" Romans 10:15 (ESV)
"And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ." Philemon 1:6 (ESV)
Prayer
Lord, may I always be obedient to share the gospel of Christ with those I come in contact with. I pray that the ones I reach will in turn reach others and draw them to salvation and together our impact will be great in the earth.
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