Sounds kind of funny doesn't it? For me, the numbers have gotten me thinking about something else. The POWER of ONE.
Loren Eisely tells a story that has been an inspiration for me for at least 10 years. It goes like this:
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."
Recently I was shopping for groceries, when a man tapped me on the shoulder. He must have been in his late 20's and he had a little girl in his arms that must have been 2 or 3 years old. He looked at me and said "Mr V.? You probably don't remember me but like 10 years ago I was in your Latin American Lit class back at Tech (Brooklyn Technical High School). I was really kind of quiet and sat in the back, kind of in the corner. I just wanted to tell you that it was your class that made me want to be a teacher. I'm a high school teacher now, and I always hoped that someday I would be able to thank you... so...thanks." I told him how it was things like that which made what I did worthwhile, and thanked him for remembering me.
I didn't really remember him at the time, and, to be perfectly honest, my memory of him in my class is still pretty vague. But somehow, I made an impact, and in a way I have influence today in the lives of every student that he teaches and inspires. My starfish is now rescuing starfish of his own.
Helen Keller said, “"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do."
Scripture is full of example after example of the power of one. One boy was instrumental in feeding a multitude, not because he had much, but because he was willing to share what he had; One woman named Esther was instrumental in saving a nation; One man named Moses was instrumental in freeing a nation from slavery; One boy named David killed a giant and secured victory for a mighty army; One girl named Mary was the vessel that brought salvation into the world.
History tells us of One woman named Rosa Parks, who sparked a social revolution; One man named Ghandi, who not only inspired his own people, but countless people generations later in other parts of the world, to follow his example.
So rather than look at my limitations, I choose to look at what I CAN do, who I CAN help, what kind of a difference I CAN make. I am going to maximize every opportunity that I find every day to be an example, to love, to stand up, to be a reflection of HIS light so that others can see HIM through me, regardless of my circumstances, or frustrations, or uncertainties, I am going to believe that with HIM all things are possible, He has ordered my steps and so I have a purpose and I CAN and I WILL make a difference within my personal sphere of influence. People will be better for having known me, because I have known HIM.
What opportunities are you taking to maximize your impact within your sphere of influence?
