YOU CAN’T DO EVERTHING, SO DO SOMETHING – Small ways to change the world by SHANE STANFORD

January 03, 2022

Almost every person has one day dreamt about changing the world. We fantasize about it and imagine how the world would be different; but how many of us can confidently say that they’ve changed the world? Or at least are currently changing the world?

Shane Stanford argues, as stated in the book title, that we should abandon the idea of changing the world, of doing everything but that we should at least commit to do SOMETHING.

The author dedicates the book to the many unknown, unspoken heroes whose “something” means everything to so many or to at least one person.

Shane shows how the best instruments of God’s grace and love come from slow and steady growth, often under adverse conditions, and that should not attempt to reach maturity too quickly. Though you may not say it loud, it is possible you may believe that when it comes to you, the church, and God’s plan, you are expandable. After all, most of us will never change our world. We think that our lives and gifts are not flashy, and that we don’t possess the means and resources for large-scale projects.

Shane insists that you should accept the fact that you can’t do everything. If you think you can, then, something is really broken somewhere. He warns us about the tendency to believe that we are responsible for achieving unworkable, unreachable goals. The author is not discouraging Big Audacious Goals (B.A.G.s) as they have resulted in some of the most remarkable developments in the church and in the world as people responded to the needs of our world. But we should not allow this project to overwhelm us and lead to inaction. The bottom line is that we cannot accomplish everything, nor does God expect us to do so.

We will never be efficient enough: No matter how important our job may be, none of us can make sure everything is done. We simply not that efficient. There are physical limitations to our efficiency and this should not lead to frustration but should cause us to seek help.
We will never be versatile enough: One person alone cannot assimilate the full scope of all the issues and difficulties that life will throw our way. It takes other links in the chain to give us the flexibility of movement and the response to handle what life throws our way.
We will never possess enough expertise: We all sooner or later come to the realization that as much as we know and are competent, even highly proficient, in many areas of life, there are still some other fields where we know nothing about. No matter what we know, we will never be experts enough. So, simply do what you have been given to do to the best of your ability.
We will never have enough resources: No matter how much the person has, a person can never have enough; and no matter what a person does not have, they will never have too little to participate ad contribute in making a difference.
We will never possess enough yearning: Where our yearnings are, there too rests our greatest potential, because it is in these places that we can’t sleep, that our struggles bear upon us until we decide to confront the broken edges and make them whole again. We will never have a yearning or a passion for everything. Some things keep us up awake at night, whereas for other issues, we sleep like babies.

Shane calls us to approach our “something”, our contribution will deep humility and openness of mind and remember that all we can do is do our part and trust that other will also do theirs and that God, who is sovereign, will work all things together for God. Serving the world will also require us to grow in maturity, wisdom and discernment.

Maturity changes not only how we see God and ourselves, but also how we see our potential for responding to God’s challenge in our lives, both as individuals and as communities. It changes how we see others.

Shane says that it may sound overly simple. But when we realize that we cannot achieve everything, but that God has given to reach each of us a “something” that we are to accomplish in God, the potential of the body of Christ becomes clear.

The author closes by making an earnest call: Go make history! The world needs you, your gift, your something!