What Difference Do It Make?

“What Difference Do It Make?” is a book written by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. Ron and Denver got to know each other through Ron’s wife, Debbie. Debbie wanted to help the homeless, and got Ron involved too, and over time they befriended many people, including Denver Moore. Denver has his own very interesting and unique life story, as does Ron - and they both share much of their life stories in this book.

This book is actually kind of a sequel to “Same Kind of Different as Me” which was a huge hit not too long ago. I’ve never read it, but it’s on many of the same things as this book. This book is a continuation and broadening of the story of how their first book has had an impact on so many people and now there are more stories to share of homeless people being helped and loved.

I found this book to be a very interesting and enjoyable read. Ron and Denver take turns telling their own versions of things that have happened, which becomes refreshing after you get used to it. Even though Denver can’t hardly read or write, he has some of the most deeply insightful theological statements in the book, and I think those were really beautiful nuggets that I was so happy to come across here. Things like:

“I hear people talkin ‘bout how, after readin our story, they felt ‘led’ to help the homeless. When it comes to helping people that ain’t got much, God didn’t leave no room for feelin led. He gon’ say, ‘You didn’t need to feel led ‘cause I had done wrote it down in the Instruction Book.”

Here’s another one of my favorites from Denver:

“All these white folks be invitin us to their Bible studies. How come none of ‘em’s invitin us to their Bible doins?”

There are many good pieces of information everyone needs to hear and understand in preparation for helping the needy and homeless. And it’s written from their point of view through Denver, and through the point of view of someone who has helped a lot of them via Ron.

“The thing about it is, though, gifts is free. When you give a person a gift, you is also givin that person the freedom to do whatever they want with it. When you give a homeless man a dollar, you ain’t sayin, ‘Here. Go buy yourself a chicken.’ If you really wanted him to have some food, you’d take him in the McDonald’s and buy him a Big Mac and a apple pie. No, when you give a homeless man a dollar, what you really sayin is, ‘I see you. You ain’t invisible. You is a person.’ You just be the blessin. Let God worry about the rest.”

There are many other treasures of insight from Denver as well as Ron. This was a really impacting read for me. It not only lit a flame under me to help the homeless, but it did so in an educational and informative way. It wasn’t just a book passionately urging me to do as much as possible no matter what. It was written from the inside, from people who’ve been there, and done it a lot. It is written with caution, wisdom, and a love for people and God. This book is about respecting people and doing the right thing, and it also has some humor, and some sadness mixed in too.

You can read this or their first book - I think either way you will get the same message and feel similarly afterwords. This is a great book, and I will definitely be passing it along to my friends. It’s so worth the read. What difference do it make? After reading this book, I can tell you - it can make a huge difference, but even if it makes a difference to one person, it’s worth it. Are you making a difference?