By: D. A. Slinkard
It is hard to believe we are already in the month of August. Every year seems to pass faster than the one before. It feels like we were just setting goals for 2026, and now we are already beginning to think about the final few months of the year. The older we get, the more we realize that time is our most valuable resource—and once it is gone; we never get it back.
Life moves at an incredible pace. Technology keeps us connected twenty-four hours a day. News changes by the minute. Calendars stay full. Before long, another season has passed, another birthday has come and gone, and another year is behind us. If we are not careful, we can become so busy living life that we forget to truly make a difference while we have the opportunity.
That brings me to a simple illustration. The people around you are either a thermometer or a thermostat. I want you to think about this for a second – a thermometer simply reports the temperature. Nothing more, nothing less, and it tells everyone else what is happening, but it has no ability to change anything. It merely reflects its surroundings. A thermostat, however, changes the environment. When the room is too hot or too cold, the thermostat takes action. It doesn’t just recognize the problem—it influences the solution. The same is true in life.
Some people spend their lives pointing out problems. They complain about the direction of the country, criticize their workplace, grumble about the younger generation, or talk about everything wrong with the church. They are experts at describing the temperature, but they rarely do anything to change it. They live like thermometers. I wonder who comes to your mind as you are reading this article – who did I just describe?
Other people will choose to be thermostats. These are the people that I like being around – I truly enjoy being around these individuals. They encourage people when everyone else is negative. They lead instead of waiting to be told what to do. They serve when no one is watching. They look for solutions instead of excuses. Wherever they go, they make the environment better because they influence those around them. When it comes to your life, what influence are you having on those around you? Is it a positive change or a negative one
Sadly, our culture has become increasingly comfortable with doing the bare minimum. Many people want maximum reward with minimum effort. We have become accustomed to convenience, shortcuts, and instant gratification. Too often people ask, “What’s the least I have to do?” rather than, “How can I make the greatest difference?” I can remember being taught growing up that it takes no talent to run hard to first base.
Unfortunately, this mindset of doing the bare minimum can also find its way into our churches. Some Christians are content to simply attend a service, occupy a pew, and go home unchanged. They expect the church to thrive while someone else teaches, serves, gives, prays, evangelizes, and carries the load. God has not called His people to be spectators. He has called us to be laborers.
Real change always begins at home. Parents must teach their children responsibility, character, hard work, and servant leadership. These qualities cannot be outsourced to the school system, social media, or someone else. Children learn far more from what they consistently see than from what they occasionally hear. At the end of the day – either the kids will be taught by their parents or the kids will be taught by the algorithms, but the choice is ours to make.
By: D. A. Slinkard
D.A. Slinkard would love your feedback. You can contact him at da.slinkard@gmail.com
