“By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.” Proverbs 11:11 NASB
I ran across three interesting books the other day. One was called “Unsung Heroes.” It is the story of janitors at major institutions. The other was called “Humble Heroes.” It featured stories of everyday people who impacted lives for eternity – a lot turned out to be Bible characters. The last one’s description read, “We created The Book of Everyone as a gigantic heart-thumping, grin-inducing, lip-wobbling celebration of the individual. Your mom, your son, your lifelong friend, your local baker and smile-maker. Because everyone needs to feel loved and unique. And knowing that you share 50% of your DNA with a banana or a billion atoms with Shakespeare is really very important”. You see, we can be tempted to expect our leaders, public officials, business leaders, academics and others to determine the outcome of our community’s environments, whether they are positive, uplifting, and safe or not. Reality tells us that as much as those people can help set the tone, it is really the everyday folks who set it. The mailman with a smile, the community health worker giving the extra effort, the first grade teacher inspiring the imagination and potential of the under privileged 6 year old, or the minimum wage earner speaking loving words and providing safety and fun in the lives they encounter on their everyday journey truly brings a foundation of blessing to a city. Today, bless those you encounter with a word a hand or a smile. #BeTheEdge