One unknown monk who lived in 1100 A. D. said,
“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.”
Aha!
And, St. Augustin (354 – 430 AD) once said: “Conquer yourself and the world lies at your feet.”
And the word of God through St. Paul says,
“Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 NASB
Wow! “I discipline MY body and make it [BY BODY] MY SALVE” – this is an incredible goal of life! The first and primary mission of Paul’s ministry is to change himself, not the world
What do these three men (the unknown Monk, Augustin and Paul) have in common?
With the help of the grace of God, they learned to change their lives; and look what their changed lives did to us and to the entire world!
Hmm! After all, world-changers are not people who set out to change the world but themselves. ///