A couple of weeks ago I heard the human interest story of Shamarr Allen. Mr. Allen is a New Orleans musician who started a program for children- turn in your guns for trumpets. No questions asked. As a product of the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans, he knows first hand the tough time these kids have growing up. When he heard of children being murdered by guns, he thought how music, namely the trumpet saved him from going down a road of poor choices.

I love his idea. Not only that it gets one more gun off the streets, but that he is giving something useful and tangible to these kids. He is giving them a future. He is giving them Hope.

His idea is in good company- On December 31, 1912, Louis Armstrong was arrested for firing a gun while celebrating New Year’s. Eleven-year-old Louis was sent to the Colored Waif’s Home, where he received formal music lessons and became a member of the Home’s brass band. If Peter Davis (an instructor at the Home) hadn’t given him proper lessons to really learn the coronet, we would never have had Ambassador Satchmo.

These stories remind me of using one’s gifts, talents or resources to bless others around us. When I read of ideas such as these, I realize that sometimes the blessing of others doesn’t necessarily have to be a huge sacrifice. It may be as easy as using and sharing what we already have in a creative way.

I think of “spheres of influence”. Originally meaning “a country or area in which another country has power to affect developments although it has no formal influence”. In the business model it is to think of those people you know and have some type of relationship or want to have relationship in order to cultivate some positive affect for yourself. (Referrals, leads, increased business).

Instead, what about thinking of spheres of influence as a way of affecting positive change, not for yourself, but rather for benefiting others? What about being a blessing? Leaving a wake of positivity behind you? For someone to think, “I have a better outlook today because I encountered … (your name here).”

Makes me wonder- what talent, gift, resource do I have that I can use to help others? In Mr. Allen’s case, it wasn’t any big offering. He had four old trumpets he could give away. He was seeing a problem and thought of a small solution.

It doesn’t have to be a monetary amount. Sure, in this economy and times of uncertainty, there are a lot of people who need financial help. But the more I am thinking about people, I think the real poverty lately is in relationships and in investing in their future. About investing in hope. I think of Jesus’ statement, “and lo, the poor will always be with you.” By His saying that, doesn’t negate our need to financially help one another, but I wonder if He is speaking about something deeper that we can address?

Financial situations will be here and will always be here in this broken world. Short of the new heaven and earth, there is a call for striving for reconciliation with others. I think that our responsibility in that call is the provision of hope and future. When you think of it, without hope it doesn’t matter what one’s financial situation may be- it is easy to give up. The spirit of hope has given tenacity to those in hopeless, impoverished situations.

In the case of Louis Armstrong, using music to keep wayward kids from going astray makes me think of the story lines from The Music Man- the idea that children would get into “Trouble. With a capital “T” that rhymes with “P” which stands for Pool”- (pool hall). The way around that trouble is to form a band complete with purchased instruments and uniforms. (Of course, “Professor” Henry Hill is really a salesman for said instruments and uniforms. He is a conman not a reformer and certainly not a musician.) I do not know anything else about Louis Armstrong’s instructor, Peter Davis but I imagine he was a reformer. Was he a good musician? Or did he just have a creative idea and offered to the children what he could?

What are other ways to provide hope and a future for someone? Even if it is hope and a future afternoon of learning and doing something new? Share a skill or hobby with a neighbor. Extra tutoring or extra curriculum learning for neighborhood children. (Give a neighbor parent a little break in this new world of virtual learning). Go for an outside walk with a friend and listen to what is going on in his/her life. Drop off a meal to a stressed neighbor. Make masks for neighbors or friends. A friend of mine is knitting mask “extensions” for health care workers- an extra piece attached around the back of the head that gives relief to the pull of the elastic on one’s ears.

What about you? What ways can you make a difference in someone’s life today? It doesn’t have to be monumental. It doesn’t even have to cost you anything. It might even be as simple as a hello, wave or nod to a stranger on the street.

Click here for more info about Shamarr Allen’s Trumpets for Guns program.