I remember when I was a young man in both body and spirit, that I heard a song that I never really understood until I grew in wisdom and stature.  Okay, I didn’t actually grow physically taller, but my spirit man did.

The song was actually an old hymn titled “Pass it On.”  It began with the words, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.  That’s how it is with God’s love, once you experienced it; you spread his love to everyone;  you want to pass it on.”  It was written by Kurt Kaiser, and he claims he wrote it in about twenty minutes while sitting in his den watching the embers of a fire when it occurred to him that it only takes a spark to start a fire.

While that song has touched millions, it was a simple observation and a few moments that ignited the fire. It is often a tiny moment that can alter someone’s life. Sure, those big events in life make a huge impact, but those simple moments like a hot ember can set an entire forest ablaze.

I believe I’ve witnessed a spark that may have ignited a fire this morning.  On the social app “Periscope,” I broadcasted a simple message about taking an idea of Tony Sanders, a Periscope community friend, to the hallways of the school. The video is only about eight minutes long and details how I decided to wish one hundred students good morning as they got off the school buses.  Nothing elaborate, but just a simple “Good morning” and the mentioning of their name.

I had plugged my phone in and laid it on my desk because I was having charger issues. It buzzed and buzzed throughout the early morning and only served to remind me that my phone was dying and I was in need of a new charger or cord.  Mid morning I looked at my phone only to find that I had been tagged in multiple “Twitter” posts. The common thread throughout the posts was a hashtag I had posted on the video #goodmorningchallege. Ruben Arana of Tallahassee Florida, a.k.a. Teach_all_iKnow on Periscope, along with Tony Sanders had sparked a firestorm from my simple broadcast. Ruben was out around the campus of Florida A & M wishing people good morning and trying to provoke some smiles. It was fun to watch as people were being encouraged in the midst of their busy day.

Tony has a scope every morning where he wishes people, “Good morning and God bless.”  A simple act that he began ninety-eight days ago.  He realized the platform he had been given with that daily scope and continued it with the hopes that someone would watch it and then encourage someone else during the day.  Little did he realize that I would stumble into his GMGB broadcast, be motivated to adapt it to my school, and affect the lives of hundreds of students.

As of the writing of this post, Tony is in the process of creating a Facebook page for his GMGB morning scope. The hope is that others will take this challenge and go out and encourage their place in the world. The goal?  To motivate others,  encouraged them to video record or “scope” their adventures of encouragement, post it to the Facebook page, and use these positive moments to encourage others to be that small spark that gets a fire going.

In this often negative world, we need a spark. We need a positive fire of speaking life-giving words. However, this spark doesn’t need to to be a flash in the pan, but embers that are fanned into flames and will burn bright in a dark world. Aren’t we supposed to be a light?  Encourage someone today and let’s set this world ablaze with some good feelings, good views, and good news.

Remember, only you can prevent forest fires. However, this is one fire that needs to be ignited and fanned into a blazing inferno.
The people in the picture?  I have no idea but they are about to be encourage bombed. I’m going in!