We live in a world captivated by attention-grabbing headlines and a business world filled with entrepreneurs striving to be first-to-market with the next great idea that will go viral.

But as business leaders committed to fidelity to the way of Jesus, and focused on a triple bottom line, our time horizon must be longer than the latest business fads. Within our M3 Network, we like to say that we are more about the ripple than the splash. But what does that really mean, and how can we put it into practice?

To be committed to a ripple means that we want an impact that is enduring and generational. Just as waves ripple from one to another, we want the people, institutions, and communities we impact to make an impact on others, and for that process to continue. We do not want to sacrifice long-term effects to prioritize the short-term appearance of impact.

Deep Transformation

The metaphor of an object striking the water is instructive. Every object creates some kind of splash when it hits the surface, and every impact also sends waves rippling outward from the point of contact. What matters most for the reach and endurance of those ripples is not simply how large or fast the object is, but how deeply and substantially it displaces the water. When significant energy is transferred deeply below the surface, the resulting waves can travel far beyond the initial point of impact.

Splash, on the other hand, is largely about size, speed, and surface effect. It can be dramatic and attention-grabbing, but it dissipates quickly.

The implications of this picture for our missional enterprises can be profound. Our long-term ripple effect is going to be determined not just by the size or speed of our initiatives, but by the depth of the genuine transformation in all spheres: economic, spiritual, and social. Yes, sometimes a deeply transformational initiative comes with size, speed, or both. But the size and speed are secondary, and not the primary objectives.

A Tsunami of Positive Impact

A vivid illustration in the natural world is a seismic disturbance in the ocean floor that can cause a tsunami hundreds or thousands of miles away. The initial movement at the ocean surface caused by such an event is typically only a few feet. But the massive displacement, deep in the ocean, sends its energy great distances and results in dramatic (and often devastating) impacts when it reaches land.

A priority on depth over size and speed in our enterprises can mean lingering in a conversation with a customer, employee, or neighbor. It could mean more time and effort listening to the history and seeking to understand the values of the communities we inhabit as we form new initiatives. It could mean devoting attention to developing partnerships rather than going it alone.

Ultimately, the key is to be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as he guides our initiatives. Let’s prayerfully consider this week the ways that God might be leading us to make a deeper, more weighty impact, perhaps forgoing more “splashy” effects if needed.

Verse of the Week:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 (NIV)

May God grant us grace to work in such a way that the impact spreads through our communities and outward, even to the ends of the earth.