CrossLife Church- Pflugerville, TX

The Ripple Effect

Joyce Kwan believes in the ripple effect. A single person can make a sizable difference. 

She has raised funds by signing up for a Polar Plunge and served as team captain for a Tower Climb. 

When Joyce heads to the beach with gloves and garbage bags, she’s doing much more than picking up toxic cigarette butts, plastic cups and other litter. She’s also inspiring her friends and even bystanders to do the same—and they, in turn, inspire those around them as caretakers of this world God has given us. 

Joyce explains, “Our actions can have a huge impact … I believe we have a choice whether that impact is a positive or negative one … Every action counts, no matter how small.”* 

That’s the ripple effect. 

But sometimes, we don’t want to get in the water. Without an initial splash—big or small—there are no ripples. We settle for less than God wants for us. So what do we need? We need more. Not more of ourselves, not more opportunities, not more opinions. More of God. More of his ripples.

Before we can create ripples we need to be rippled. We need the rippling waves of God‘s forgiveness, God’s mercy, new life from the Holy Spirit, strength and truth from Jesus to find us, wash over us, and then carry us further away from our small selves into his bigger opportunities and purposes for us. 

There is no one more masterful at the ripple effect than Jesus.

  • With one command Jesus healed 10 men of incurable leprosy. “‘Go.’ And as they went, they were cleansed” (Luke 17:14). Are there 5 people reading this today who want Jesus’ healing, and will bring a friend with them? Ripple effect.
  • With one answer of truth that the Jewish Sanhedrin of 71 councilmen used to falsely convict him, Jesus was condemned to be crucified (Luke 22:66). Jesus’ suffering and death paid God for at least 71 of your false claims, lies or moments when you should have witnessed. What would change if you stood up and told someone the truth about Jesus the next 71 times he opened a door for you? Ripple effect.
  • For one man Jesus broke the evil hold of 2,000 demons. “The man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’ So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed” (Mark 5:18-20). What strong grip of addiction or oppression in you has Jesus broken? Go tell others what the Lord has done for you. Ripple effect.
  • With one drop of water at your baptism Jesus empowered every single drop of his blood to wash your sins away. How many decisions of kindness can you make that are pure and holy like he has made you? Ripple effect. 

One splash—no matter how big or small—creates ripples in an entire pond, an entire family or church, an entire team, community and even world. 

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, the ripples of your death and resurrection have washed over me, and now carry me away from my small thinking out into your pond, your ocean of opportunity for me. Give my splash—big or small—the ripple effect, too. To spread kindness, truth and salvation. Amen.

FURTHER MEDITATION: Here is a positive story of Christian kindness with a ripple effect in Colorado https://pagosasun.com/2022/10/05/santa-claus-seen-in-pagosa/ 

* (https://wwf.ca/stories/ripple-effect-difference-one-person-can-make/)