What Will Really Make a Difference?

Since November i have had many conversations about Obamacare, elections, politicians and government.  So many times people have a tons of opinions about whether this particular politician or that one is good or bad - it always amazes me how so many people can believe so many different things about the same person!  Many are asking me what i think of Obamacare and the future of healthcare and all.  Aside from joking that i may end up being a government employee soon, my response is pretty predictable:

"I don't really know what is going to happen and for the most part i don't care."

sometimes mixed in with a

"I can and have taken care of people under a tarp in the middle of a field.  I'm pretty sure i can handle whatever comes."

To some this seems to be a relief - they are reassured that i am not spazzing out at what might or might not happen.

To others this is insanity and they think i am either delusional or apathetic.

To still others this is infuriating and they are ready to nail me to the wall!


Then i usually try to explain myself...

You see, this response comes from the way i live my life.  I am convinced that if anyone is going to really make a difference to the people that i encounter on a given day of my life, one person it is not going to be is Barack Obama.  I am also pretty sure it will not be Joe Biden or Dan Coats (Indiana Senator) or Mike Pence (Indiana Governor), in fact i am so sure they will not be the "difference maker" that i had to look up their names to find out who was in those offices! - not Obama or Biden, give me some credit!

You know who made the difference in my life today?  A friend. His name is Larry and he spoke with such genuine goodness and concern for me and my family that i went on with the rest of my day feeling as if i mattered more!  Who else?  My friend named Troy, who took time out of his schedule and met me for lunch - where he shared his recent experiences and i mine and i left that 45minutes strengthened - with new ideas and encouragement for the rest of my day.  My children, my wife, my medical assistant...

You know what else, it is almost always these people who really have the profound effects on my life.  It is almost never people i don't know or who are far away.  I must admit now that there are authors, like Paul the Apostle and like Brennan Manning among other, whose works have changed my life, but the impact of those words always lands in the reinforcement of the relationships of my life and this is where their wisdom actually takes shape.

So, here's the point.  Will healthcare change - yes, i'm sure it will.  And some things will be better undoubtedly and some will be worse.  But, i will not be changing who i am in the middle of it - and nothing will change what makes my life, my practice, and More than more, so special.  You see, we in our family, and at More than more believe that the world is messed up and that most people go around believing that people matter a lot but they don't typically notice the people around them enough to really make a difference in their lives - they are too busy, too overworked, too rushed, too harried and dare i say, too self-focused.  So, we rush around getting things done and we miss out on the real difference makers - all the while having all kinds of discussions about the people who really won't make that much of a difference anyway.

Now don't get the wrong idea, we get all distracted into ourselves a lot of the time just like everyone else, but we are striving, pushing, extending ourselves, intentionally to be more people who dare to notice the people around them.

If you are sick of life as usual in this country and would like to live in a world where people make a difference to people, rather than waiting to see what the politicians and policy makers do, we would love to see you Thursday, 3/7/13, 6:45-8:00 PM, at McAllister Recreation Center, just off 20th and Schuyler Ave, Lafayette.  As always there will be some kind of activity for all ages.  We will notice you, that i can promise.

Hope to see you there.