The Impact of One Person

“I want to make a difference!” How often have you heard these words – or expressed them yourself? Have you ever wondered what difference you’re actually making in this world, if any? 

Many aging Baby Boomers wonder about this. Having devoted their lives to the pursuit of success and fulfillment, they’re hoping to have accomplished something of lasting significance. People who work in “behind the scenes” professions, where their work is unlikely to merit much public notice, often wonder what difference they’re making in society. From experience, I know that writers, largely a solitary, introverted lot, pour our hearts onto a page or computer screen not knowing who’s reading what we write. Or how they’re responding.

Some people dismiss the what difference am I making question altogether, replacing it with the more skeptical, “What difference can one person make anyway?” How can a single individual have an noteworthy effect on more than a handful of folks in their immediate sphere of influence?

Maybe that was the motivation behind the mournful Three Dog Night song of late ‘60s, “One Is the Loneliest Number.” Yes, usually we can accomplish much more working with others than we can alone. But let’s not underestimate the impact of one person.

Anne Sullivan (right) works with deaf and blind
Helen Keller in this public domain photo from
the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Think of Desmond Doss, the conscientious objector in World War II portrayed in the film, “Hacksaw Ridge.” Doss refused to carry a weapon because of his religious convictions, but serving in the unarmed role of medic was personally responsible for saving the lives of dozens of wounded soldiers. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his acts of bravery and selflessness.

Or consider author, activist and lecturer Helen Keller, who became the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree. It was her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who was able to break through young Helen’s sensory isolation, helping her to communicate, learn, and develop into a highly accomplished woman despite her disabilities.

As we read the Scriptures, we find numerous examples of God using individuals to carry out His purposes. Noah and his ark, as well as Jonah the reluctant prophet, come to mind. There was Joseph, responsible for bringing the people of Israel to Egypt during a devastating famine, and even Rahab, a prostitute who protected the Israelite spies as they sized up Jericho.

But there’s someone else who was called to my attention recently: Philip the apostle, who had an unexpected encounter with an Ethiopian eunuch on the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza. In the story, recounted in Acts 8, an angel directed Philip to meet the official, a key aide to the queen of Ethiopia.

The unnamed man was in his chariot, reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah that refers to the coming Messiah. Recognizing the Ethiopian was struggling to understand what it meant, “Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35). Placing his trust in Christ, the official spotted some water along the roadside and asked Philip to baptize him to confirm his new faith.

Almost immediately afterward, God’s Spirit whisked Philip away from there, and the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39). But the story doesn’t end there. Christian historians say this individual not only held to his faith, but was used by God to establish the Church not only in Ethiopia but also throughout Africa.

Philip’s obedient encounter with this man might have been brief, but the impact was profound – and it continues to this day. Not bad for an afternoon’s work!

So, the next time you’re asking yourself, “What difference can I make?”, remember the answer: Only God knows.

What Will Your Verse Be?

I don’t know if you saw it, but recently Apple produced an intriguing TV commercial for its iPad. One reason I noticed the ad is it featured the Ohio State University marching band, along with people from a broad range of other pursuits, all using the tablet for their various activities. What stuck with me, however, was the question it posed.

The voiceover during the commercial stated, in part:

“Each of us has something to share. A voice, a passion, a perspective. The potential to add a stanza to the world’s story…. What will your verse be?”

Simple, concise words, but they pack a wallop of insight. We’ve become seduced by the superstar mentality, wrongly believing that only people whose names appear in news headlines or on magazine covers are those with something to offer. That is far from true. Our lives might not merit a segment on the evening news, but we all have unique gifts, talents and interests that can make a difference in the lives of people God has placed in our special spheres of influence.

This quote from Charles Lindbergh reflects the life
of a man willing to dare, to explore the limits
of human achievement. 

What is your voice, passion, or perspective? For some people, it’s endangered or abused animals. For others it’s children in poverty or confronting serious needs. There are many people who share a passion for the advancement of the arts. Then there are political causes, literacy, the environment, or countless other passions that can consume our thoughts, time and energy.

If you’ve read more than one or two of my posts in this blog, you have a sense of what mine are: Communicating the relevance and practical value of the Bible – which I believe to be the true Word of God – and challenging others to apply and integrate its timeless principles into every area of their lives. That’s my passion, my perspective, shaped over more than 30 years study, discussion and experience.

But the portion of the Apple commercial’s script that intrigued me most was the idea we each possess the potential “to add a stanza to the world’s story.” If, over the course of your lifetime, you can make a difference in the life of at least one or two people, you’ll be inserting your own stanza into the narrative of the world.

We often think of composers, poets, statesmen, scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs that have had that kind of impact. But what about a homemaker; someone performing clerical work; a sales person in a retail store; a server in a restaurant, or someone who sets aside an hour or two every week to befriending and mentoring a child from a low-income, single-parent home?

If we had the opportunity to engage in something big, to become a participant in a highly publicized enterprise, most of us would jump at the chance. Why not? We all want to make a splash, a tremendous difference, right? But the little stuff, those behind-the-scenes duties no one seems to notice – who cares about that?

Well, for starters, God cares. In a passage familiar to many of us, Jesus told the "parable of the talents," a story of servants entrusted with varying amounts of money to manage during their master’s absence. Upon his return, the owner asked each for an accounting of how they had used the money. As it turned out, two of the three servants had invested the funds and reaped a considerable return.

To both the master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness” (Matthew 25:14-30).

God has uniquely and specifically equipped each of us for a particular impact on the world around us, to “add our stanza to the world’s story.” But individually we must take the initiative to ensure that stanza is written. The Lord won’t do it for us. He’ll provide the opportunities; He’s already given us the abilities, talent and expertise. Now it’s our job to put them all to use.

So the question that begs for our answer is the one from the Apple ad: “What will your verse be?”

As I write this, I think of several people close to me whose verses have been finalized. The ink has dried, but the stanzas they wrote continue to resonate. Parts of them were inscribed on my own heart. My hope is that for someone somewhere, a portion of my verse, my stanza, will remain indelible on their heart as well. Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” God has used others to sharpen me over the years. My hope is that for someone else, I’ve been used as a sharpener.

So again I present the question of the day, one that ultimately can lead each of us to an assessment of whether we’ve lived a life worth living: What will your verse be?

Living an Exciting Life

Recently one of our daughters informed my wife and me that we’re “boring”; we don’t do anything “exciting.” Ah, to be young again.

Well, she’s right if she meant we don’t go hang-gliding, skydiving, mountain climbing or bungee jumping (unless you’re referring to the “fiscal cliff”). We do watch the July 4^th fireworks displays every year, sometimes more than once. Doesn’t that count?

Roller coasters don’t excite me as much as they once did – although I still ride them. When we went to Disney World last year, I rode the Tower of Terror – and wasn’t terrified. But to me, that wasn’t “exciting.”

What’s exciting, I believe, depends on your perspective. As you get older, the meaning of “exciting” seems to change. Sally and I have dealt with serious health issues, so awakening to start a new day is exciting. Each day is a gift, filled with surprises and unlimited potential. And having been married to the same person for more than 38 years and still loving each other – when strains on marriage seem stronger all the time, and the institution is sometimes ridiculed – that’s exciting.

Observing our children mature and marry, having children of their own and carving out their own niches in life, is exciting. The fact they share our foundational beliefs and values is exciting. And having grandkids around, seeing them develop and learn, discovering and doing new things all the time, that’s exciting.

My career has enabled us to travel around the country and stay in very nice places. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Europe twice, as well as Central and South America and the Caribbean, and that’s been great fun. But most exciting of all have been the relationships I’ve been able to form, some of which I maintain to this day.

For me, exciting is creating an article, authoring or collaborating with someone on a book, even posting on this blog – writing about things important to me and hearing what I’ve written was meaningful for someone else. Many people hate their work, so not only enjoying what you do but also knowing without a doubt you’re fulfilling your calling, that’s exciting.

And it’s exciting to invest time with other men in mentoring relationships, helping them to grow personally and professionally. Especially in their faith, understanding what it means in today’s increasingly secularized society to be a follower of Jesus Christ, believing and applying the Bible's eternal truths in everyday life.

As it says in 3 John 4, relating to both biological offspring and spiritual children, “I have no greater joy than to hear my children are walking in the truth.”

It’s all part of building a legacy that’s worth leaving behind.

Most of all, to me “exciting” means having a daily, growing relationship with the God of all creation. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” He’s done that for me – and much more.

I’m still not planning to go cliff diving any time soon (the U.S. Congress notwithstanding), but I’m convinced of this: “Exciting” is in the eyes of the beholder.

A Big Difference . . . With a Little Effort

Would you like to feel you’re making a difference in the world – or more specifically, in your world?

But how? You or I aren’t likely to discover the cure for cancer, or end world poverty and hunger. Odds are against us coming up with the next great, life-changing invention. And these days it seems only a fool would run for President of the United States, so forget that. So how can we make a difference?

In their book, Simple Truths of Service, Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz show even a small, simple thought can result in a big difference. They tell about “Johnny the Bagger,” a 19-year-old grocery store bagger with Down syndrome.

Glanz, a customer service trainer, had spoken to store employees about “creating memories for your customers that will motivate them to come back.” 

A month later she received a call from Johnny, who admitted he initially didn’t think he could do anything special for customers. Then he had the idea of selecting a thought for the day, having his dad help in printing the messages on small pieces of paper, and then placing the thought of the day in each customer’s grocery bag.

As customers came to the register, he'd bag their groceries, put his thought for the day in their sack and say, “Thanks for shopping with us.”

Soon, according to the store manager, Johnny’s checkout line was always several times longer than the other lines – filled with shoppers eager to receive his daily “thought.”

Not only did customers arrive at the store anticipating the pleasant surprise they would receive upon checking out, but other employees also began devising novel ways to “create memories” for customers in their own departments. “A wonderful spirit of service spread throughout the store,” Glanz commented. All because one young man, despite a disability and a humble, “unimportant” job, chose to make a difference where he worked.

Johnny is hardly an exception. Looking at the life of Jesus, the difference He made day to day didn’t come from outrageous acts. He didn’t leap tall buildings in a single bound, or make mountains disappear. In fact, the times He was challenged to flaunt His powers, Jesus declined.

Instead, He washed disciples feet. He gathered little children to Himself, demonstrating how precious they are to God. He affirmed the great worth of women in a male-dominated society. He fed thousands with a handful of fish and bread.

A song I loved to hear years ago affirmed, “God uses ordinary people.” That’s true: Our extraordinary God uses ordinary people like us to accomplish great things, one little step at a time. Maybe we should also aspire to be like Johnny, doing something simple that can make a great difference.