Victoria and I have been blessed to meet so many amazing people over the years. We’ve heard many wonderful stories of triumph and faith that have inspired us and given us strength. One such person with an incredible life story is a friend of mine, 60 Minutes News Contributor, Byron Pitts.
As a child, Byron was probably one of the least likely to end up as an Emmy Award-winning news correspondent. He grew up in a home filled with fighting, strife and shame. Beyond that, he couldn’t read and he had a terrible stutter until he was in his twenties. At one point, an “expert” even suggested that he was mentally retarded. It didn’t look as if he had anything going for him. Yet still, his foundation of faith in God carried him on a journey of success and victory beyond his wildest dreams.
He recounts his life story in his inspiring new book, “Step Out on Nothing”…
We all have those defining moments in our lives. Moments of great joy. Moments of unspeakable sadness and fear. We usually think we’re alone. But if we look into the corners of our memories, we’ll find them. Those people who had faith in us. Those times when a grace beyond earthly understanding touches us. This is a story of those times. Those people. And the lessons they taught me. We’ve all had them in our lives. If not, it’s time to find them.
Byron goes on to share about how the people in his life, some he barely knew, took time to “step out on nothing” and invest in him, making an incredible difference in his life. A college professor, a classmate from Minnetonka, Minnesota; the Friars at Archbishop Curley High School. They had nothing to gain, nothing to win, and no guarantees. They just took a step of faith to invest in a young man and those investments carried Bryon into his destiny.
As Byron’s life illustrates, you never know how your investment of time, encouragement, and faith will impact the people around you. You are a person of influence and your words are seeds planted into the lives of others. Don’t ever forget that the things you do for people matter. You may have nothing to gain at the moment, and nothing to win, but go ahead and step out on nothing and invest in others. Remember, the Bible tells us that when we reach out to help “the least of these” we are reaching out and investing in God Himself.
I encourage you today, take time to invest in others. Look for ways to be a blessing to the people in your life. I believe that as you step out on nothing, you'll make an eternal difference. You’ll bless the heart of God and you'll see a harvest of blessing in your own life in return!