The difference is Jesus

In the past week I have heard some beautiful stories while in conversation with people. Each of these powerful conversations has one common theme, an encounter with Jesus. For some they encountered him for the first time, for others it was meeting with him once again and for others still, it was one of many regular encounters. 

Over the weekend around the dinner a friend shared about how his life had been completely transformed. The things that once had such great power simply don’t anymore. He was a different man….and the difference was Jesus. 

Last week, I had the privilege of hearing another friend talking about how she has recently returned to her faith and how she realised God has been with her all along. She talked about a happiness she now felt and how different everything was…and the difference was Jesus.

While away at officers councils and eating the most amazing chocolate fondue, I sat with colleague ministers of the gospel and we shared the good news going on within our churches. We talked about caring communities, of lives transformed and the difference being made for God’s kingdom…and the difference was Jesus.

This morning as I did my devotions and spent time with the Lord, I kept going back to this verse in John 9:25. This man had recently had a miraculous encounter and had been healed. When questioned as to whether the man was a sinner or not - this was his reply: 

‘The healed man replied “I have no idea what kind of man he is. All I know is that I was blind and now I can see for the first time in my life!”

There had been a miraculous difference in his life…and the difference was Jesus.

It reminded me of a beautiful scene in the chosen where Nicodemus encounters a healed Mary.(you can watch the scene Here)  He questions her about the difference in her, and she responds:

“Here is what I can tell you. I was once one way and now I am completely different and the thing that happened in between was him. So yes I will know him for the rest of my life”

Mary was different…and the difference was Jesus. 

At officers councils we heard many people testify to the difference that Jesus has made in their life and the people around them. One of the songs that we sang, which has been a precious song to me for some time, was about speaking the name of Jesus. The words declare: 

Shout Jesus from the mountains

Jesus in the streets

Jesus in the darkness over every enemy

Jesus for my family

I speak the holy name of Jesus

Sometimes when we look at our world, at the hatred, the apathy and the hopelessness, it can be easy to feel that we can never make a difference. However, last week a I stood listening to hundreds of leaders in The Salvation Army speaking the name of Jesus, I was once again struck that we can make a difference...and the difference is Jesus!