Some people do a lot of things for people without recognition. They do it in the background. Such a person here in Montgomery is Greg Calhoun.

God has put me in some places in the past few years where I got to know Greg. I have discovered that for every high visibility thing you read about him in the papers, he does many more small things that have an impact on people. He is making a difference!

This week you read about the big golf tournament that the Calhoun Foundation sponsored to raise money for scholarships for underprivileged kids. Last Sunday night there was a reception for the people who were participating in the golf tournament and offer support to it. He invited Lynn and me to come. While I had a full day of preaching three times Sunday morning at Frazer, preaching Sunday night, conducting a funeral Sunday afternoon, I told him that I couldn’t be there until about 8:00. He said that would be fine.

It was quite an experience. He had celebrities present like Evander Holyfield, five time world champion boxer, Isaiah Thomas, one of the best college basketball players in history, Lee Elder, the most high profile African-American golfer before Tiger Woods, Rubin Studdard, American Idol winner, and several other athletes, musicians, politicians, etc.

About 9:00 in the evening these people took the stage to celebrate the awarding of the scholarships. Evander Holyfield and Isaiah Thomas were invited to speak. Holyfield explained that he had grown up in an awfully bad neighborhood. He said that he didn’t choose to be born that way. Because some people took an interest in him and gave him a chance, he was able to use the God-given talents that he had to make something of himself. He made it clear that he would not have been the Heavy Weight Champion of the World had it not been for some people who believed in him when he was young and helped direct his life.

Isaiah Thomas gave a similar testimony. He talked about being born in a tough area on the south side of Chicago. Many of the kids with whom he grew up didn’t get a chance in life. Somebody took an interest in him and helped him get an education. He also talked about the talents that God gave him, and he was given the opportunity to develop those talents.

The new school year is beginning. Every school has a lot of students who have immeasurable potential that could be tapped and developed. Please pray for our teachers, administrators, and coaches. I know that my coaches and teachers made a difference in my life.

I challenge you to be specific about making a difference in some student’s life. A lot of churches have tutoring programs. There are a lot of opportunities to coach in sports in elementary schools. There are a lot of good ministries that deal with people in tough situations. Volunteer some place that you can make a difference in the life of some young person.

Matthew 25:40 reads, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

Greg Calhoun will never know how many people he has influenced in a positive way. Seeing the result of efforts to help people is not the goal. The goal is to do it.

In the middle of that ceremony, Greg asked me to say a word. I just asked for permission to pray. It was an interesting setting for a prayer. I thanked God for all people who give their time to make a difference in the lives of others and I prayed for a special blessing and anointing on Greg and the work of the Calhoun Foundation.

I am also right now offering a prayer for an anointing on the life of every person who reads this and who dares to make a difference.

Don’t talk it – do it.