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Aug 29, 2025 06:00am

Am I Making a Difference? Paul’s Answer for Every Teacher and Disciple-Maker

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As a teacher, I’m certain there are days when you wonder, “Am I even making a difference?”

Day in and day out, the kids file through the doors to their classrooms. A million things happen throughout the day, sometimes making you want to pull your hair out. Because you aren’t dealing with little robots who do everything you tell them to do. These are children, with creative minds and ideas, and with mouths to share, whether you ask for it or not.

Because of my early teachers, I developed a love for reading and writing. In the fourth grade, I received an A+ on a short story I wrote in Mrs. Pitts’s class. But I couldn’t have done it without my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Bullington. She believed in me and encouraged me to continue in my reading and to challenge myself with books that were more advanced. And of course, I would have never been prepared for that if it hadn’t been for Mrs. Q. Coe in the second grade (there were two Mrs. Coes in our school—so we called them Mrs. T. Coe and Mrs. Q. Coe). She told me I had a sixth-grade reading level in the second grade and gave me books to read that would challenge me. She also encouraged us with handfuls of popcorn when we read as a group, so that certainly helped.

I never would have been reading at that level if it hadn’t been for Mrs. Vaughn teaching me how to read and write in the first grade. She gave me a love for stories as we read the Three Little Pigs and then performed a play for the other classes.

But it all started in Kindergarten. We didn’t have preschool then; Kindergarten was the first place I went to learn. Mrs. Gillmore welcomed us with open arms. She taught me how to spell my extremely long name (thanks, Mom and Dad) and how to write my letters, my address, my phone number, and she read to us every day.

I am just one of the many children that are proof today of the success of these and millions of other teachers.

1 Corinthians 9:1-2
“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.”

As we continue studying the letter Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, we learn about not just questions for Paul, but how some were questioning his authority and teaching. Paul stated his authority as their teacher—he was an apostle. He had seen Jesus Christ. He had been called to preach the gospel by the Lord Himself, meeting Paul on the road to Damascus. That gave him the authority he needed. But that wasn’t all there was.

Paul had proof that he was sent by God to teach them—their salvation. The fact that they had come to the knowledge of Christ, their sin, their need for a Savior, and known what to do about it was proof that Paul had delivered the truth to them. What he was doing as a missionary was making a difference in the lives of people.

He stood firm in his knowledge of Christ, his calling to share the truth, and his authority to do so that was given to him by Jesus.

What about you? Do you ever doubt if you’re making a difference? Whether it’s the little ones in your home that you tuck in every night, the teenager that doodles in your classroom, the boy that always has the earbuds in and his music playing, or the man who can’t look you in the eye as he exits the church doors after your sermon…

if you’re sharing the Word of the Lord, if you’re investing in their lives, if you’re showing up and sharing, it will not return void.

The ground is being plowed.
Seeds are planted.
The soft dirt is watered.
Small shoots of green sprout.
Blooms will come.

Keep teaching. Keep pouring. Keep loving. Keep instructing. Keep nurturing. Keep sharing the truth in love.

You are making a difference. And one day, one of those people just might come back and say, because of you, I am following Jesus.

Oh Father! How that is my prayer! Not for my glory, but for Yours! That I don’t mess it up. That “I” don’t get in the way of Your Holy Spirit working in them. For salvation, for a deeper understanding of who You are, for a life committed to following You. That they know, without a doubt, You are Lord, and You alone are worthy of their lives.

Go and make disciples. That’s what Christ told His followers to do. Share the gospel with them and show them how to follow Jesus. That’s our purpose. Are you ready to begin? Whether you need to learn what it means to be a truly devoted follower of Jesus or you want to show someone, FOLLOW is a great tool for you to use. It’s a free, video-based, interactive discipleship resource that allows you to learn more about Jesus, what it means to be transformed by Him and how you can join Him on mission. Go to follow.lifeword.org to begin. And now in Spanish at follow.lifeword.org/spanish.