Why the World Needs You to Change It - Right Now!
The world needs you - yes, you looking over your shoulder to see who I’m speaking to - YOU. Don’t look so surprised. You’ve had this rising sense of urgency rear its head before. Something has to change. The world needs fixing. But each time, you’ve pushed it down and thought, “Not me. Not now. I don’t know how to change the world.”
There’s never a convenient time to become a world changer. You’ll never have enough time, or the right funding. Women in leadership don’t get there because they waited to check off all the things on the list for them to be ‘ready’. Women in leadership are changing the world because they jumped. And now it’s time for YOU to jump too.
Still need convincing I’m talking to the right person? Read on, sister.
change the world #1: you are chosen
You’re either the kind of person who is desperate to be chosen for everything or the kind who couldn’t think of anything worse than being called on. I kind of feel like I had this beaten out of me at school, where it seemed every person who got chosen did so because they were the most popular, the best behaved or most athletic (although let’s face it, sport is the one thing I have NEVER been excited to be picked in).
But we ain’t in school any more, sunshine. You are called to change the world as a daughter of the King. It’s in the job description. Whether you are going to come quietly or not, you’re on the team.
First up, when we are saved we get a VIP pass to Team Jesus AND we get a handbook. (Is it super nerdy that I actually quite like a good handbook? I always feel that it’s good to get a grip on how things work and what opportunities there are for me to get fancy with my programming.) The Bible is the most epic handbook you will ever read and it has a LOT to say about YOU being called to change the world.
Our God loves justice. He wants all His children to be safe, happy and treated fairly. I probably don’t need to tell you this but the world is not like that. At all. In fact, there’s so much injustice, greed, violence, hypocrisy, poverty and suffering in the world that huge chunks of the Bible are devoted to telling God’s people to clean up their act.
Isaiah sums up how to change the world pretty neatly.
Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice.
Isaiah 1:17 (MSG)
Secondly, this call isn’t just for the most popular, gifted or experienced of God’s people. He wants the whole team on the field. And that includes you.
It might not look to you as though you have a whole lot of influence right now. The truth is, if you are a living, breathing woman of faith, you have influence. People are watching how you conduct yourself when you encounter injustice, where you turn for strength when things get tough, what your priorities are when your time is stretched. Your kids, neighbours, clients, family, friends, colleagues, social media followers - think how many people you pass on the street, sit next to at the hospital, or serve you in a coffee shop. You have influence.
Changing the world doesn’t have mean taking over the world. Women in leadership aren’t all CEOs, pastors or even managers. Women in leadership are the women who create an inspiring vision of the future, by living a life that reflects the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Tell me you didn’t get goosebumps when you read that.
The way you live motivates and inspires others to get on board with that majestic vision of what the world should look like and will one day be restored to.
Keep saying no to wrong, learning to do good and working for justice and you will change the world, one small act of faithfulness and obedience at a time.
change the world #2: you are called to shine
What’s the one indulgence you just can’t say no to?
I am a total sucker for pizza. If you sat next to me and opened up a box of freshly delivered Dominos margherita pizza, my will would crumble like the walls of Jericho! I just can’t resist!
But say you had ordered a meat feast. Well then, I would be actively moving away from you because I am a smell-sensitive vegetarian. Same delivery, different ingredients. Very different response.
That’s exactly why the world needs YOU to change it.
Nobody else has your unique ingredients of life experience, perspective, personality and gift mix. There are going to be people out there just waiting for what YOU have to offer.
Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.
God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand.
Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!
Matthew 5:14-16 (MSG)
Don’t hide your light!
It was never meant to be something you keep to yourself. The world needs YOU to change it, by standing up, stepping out of your comfort zone and letting your light shine.
God wants us to dream big. He wants us to get up on whatever platform we have available and let His light shine through us, to reach those still in the dark. That is what you are called to do. Change the world.
Your unique gift mix is like a prism that God’s light shines through. Through you, His light can be seen as an incredible rainbow of dazzling colours. He has placed these God-colours in you for a reason. You’re not supposed to waste the gifts that God has given you.
I can hear your excuses already.
So what if you aren’t the most qualified person for the job? This is God’s kingdom we are talking about here. You don’t have to be the most accomplished, educated or award-winning woman to be used to change the world.
Let’s just remind ourselves about the kind of people that God calls to change the world. I could write a looooong list of nobodies that God called from obscurity to step up and become leaders. But here’s just one example.
Peter is a fisherman. He earns a pittance, has very little formal education, frequently speaks before he thinks and sounds stupid, acts brave but is really afraid and, I would imagine, rubs quite a lot of people up the wrong way.
Yet, with the power of the Holy Spirit in him (Acts 4:8) Peter steps up as a world-changing leader.
They couldn’t take their eyes off them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education.
Acts 4:13-14 (MSG)
He goes from a nobody to a somebody almost over night. Because of Jesus.
You might not have a stage, but everyone has some kind of platform. Women in leadership don’t wait to be handed the microphone, they use any and every kind of platform they can find to teach and share and guide.
The world needs more women in leadership with varied gifts, different perspectives and life stories.
Which is exactly what God has given you.
Women in leadership don't wait to be handed the microphone, they use any and every kind of platform they can find to teach and share and guide.
change the world #3: There is a gap that needs filling
This is your wake up call.
If you remain silent, God’s kingdom plans won’t get put on hold for you.
There is a gap that needs filling with your name on it.
You’ve got the opportunity to change the world. Use it. You will KICK yourself if you get to heaven and God says ‘What did you do with what I gave you’ and you can’t give Him a decent answer.
We get so caught up thinking that this is our story, when in reality we are the supporting acts in an epic narrative, written by and starring the author of life Himself. God invites us to partner with Him, to step into a role in His story, and change the world.
But here’s the thing. If you pass up the chance, God will offer it to someone else (Esther 4:14). If you don’t fill the gap, someone else will.
The world needs more diverse women in leadership, more voices calling for social justice.
Look around you.
There is no shortage of gaps that need filling. The world needs more diverse women in leadership, more voices calling for social justice. The world needs you.
And if the thought has crept in that you have messed up too badly, or gone too far in the other direction for God to want you, think again. The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). Nothing YOU do could ever break that promise.
He has chosen you not because you were top of the class or read your Bible the longest or worked hard enough to be noticed, but for HIS glory. For HIS plan. Availability will always trump ability in God’s kingdom. If you are willing to step up and say ‘yes’ to Jesus, He has the power to make it happen.
Stand in the gap and Heaven’s armies will rush in behind you, cheering you on.
It is He who saved us and chose us for His holy work not because we deserved it
but because that was His plan long before the world began.
2 Timothy 1:9 (TLB)
Taking Action
Changing the world doesn’t have to mean taking over the world. Changing the world can be small, seemingly insignificant acts in your everyday rhythms that set the tone for how the wider world should look. Take some time to reflect on what simple shifts you could make to be more intentional about following your calling, letting your light shine and standing in the gaps.
Free journaling prompts
Use these free journaling prompts to get you started as you work through what changing the world looks like for you.
- What does my vision of the world when God's kingdom comes look like?
- What limiting beliefs am I holding about why I could be influencial? "I am not ____ enough."
- Which life experiences, gifts, personality traits and cultural influences are the ingredients of my personal pizza?
- How am I blocking God's light from shining through my unique gift mix prism?
- Where are the gaps in my community or industry?
- How would I feel if I missed out on the opportunity to be part of God's big story?
The world needs you to change it. Everything in your story has been leading up to this point: will you answer the call? Our loving Father doesn’t expect us to have all the answers, just a willing heart. You don’t need a fancy Theology degree, 1000s of followers or to be the pastor of a megachurch to bring the kingdom and change the world, right where you are.
Who knows. Maybe you were made for such a time as this.
Looking for your next steps?
