Just One

Recently, my good friend Ted told me of a story that his pastor recently shared. In this story, the pastor was traveling a great distance for a particular ministry. He got there a little tired and worn. He walks into the room and only one person has shown up. His spirits sunk and he excused himself to use the restroom. In the restroom he thinks; “why just one, I have traveled all this way and just one?”

Suddenly a feeling overcomes him and another thought comes to him; “Christ died for me; just one”. Feeling a little refocused he marched back into the room and proceeded to serve the needs of the “just one” until slowly and surely others joined them.

This story just touched me (convicted me as well) as I do tend to get a little disappointed when after much effort very few show up. I now know that it is so important to ensure that my motives are not merely numbers, but to serve a kind, gracious and loving savior; that died for me; just one. The atoning sacrifice of one has made so much difference for many – even if it is one at a time. As we see in Romans 5:

18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

This brought to mind the story of Philip and the Ethiopian in Acts.

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a]eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."[b] 34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"[c] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

What a reminder that wherever we are in life, we can make a difference even if it is for “just one”. That one will go and rejoice! We are told in Proverbs 11: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”

By the power of the Holy Spirit let’s all go and be wise!

Grace and Peace