11/20/2020
Just as by the disobedience of Adam all men were made sinners, and through Christ, one man’s obedience, the many were made righteous, so it is that by our singular lives we can each have an impact on all of creation. Some of us are tempted to believe that we are insignificant when in fact our one life’s force can ripple through all that comes after us, and quite often we don’t even realize it.
“For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”
Romans 5:19 ESV
One of my favorite stories as a boy came from within the larger children’s novel “Hans Brinker, or the Silver skates” written by Mary Mapes Dodge in 1865. There is a short story contained within her book about a little Dutch boy who plugs a hole in a leaking dike with his finger, and stays there all night long until he is found the next day when the hole is repaired. This one boy’s heroic actions saved his entire country. I often have envisioned myself as this nameless boy, and this story reinforced the fact that even as a child I could broadly impact the world. As Christians we can plug holes too, and save the faiths of many. Sometimes we see danger, and valiantly step forward, but more often than not we deliver an unassuming testimony regarding our personal faith that saves one lost soul... who saves another... who saves another... who saves another, and so forth, and so forth. In cases such as this we don’t realize the impact we have had beyond having hopefully shared our story of faith with a single lost soul.
“The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.”
Psalm 116:6-7 ESV
I wonder, which tale of coming to God, and Jesus Christ has been more impactful, the testimony of Billy Graham, or the story of Reverend Mordecai Ham who conducted the prayer meeting at which the young Billy gave himself to Jesus? Or, perhaps it was someone else’s story that was told that day.
Before you and I heard the gospel story that led us to accept Christ as our own savior it had been passed from person to person for generations. Have you ever stopped to wonder whose mouth the story of Jesus originated in that led at last to our hearing, and the salvation of our soul? I tell you this not to impress you with the power of history, but to demonstrate what would happen if you thought your life so insignificant that you never repeated the gospel, or told your own testimony.
“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”
Mark 16:15 ESV
We might not be great orators, or able to preach with amazing flair, but an equal number of souls are saved face to face, one on one, and from a solitary man or woman to another than by all the preachers combined. I confessed my faith in Jesus sitting on the living room couch of an army officer, and his wife, in base housing in Augsburg Germany because they delivered the gospel to my vacation Bible school class. Neither of them were pastors, nor did the officer know at that moment that he was dying of cancer... it was as if I had purposely been sent to this man so that the chain of faith that ran through him would continue on. He was not insignificant in the eyes of God, and neither are you, or I. If we tell someone the gospel today, we might not live to see the result of it, but what would be the impact of our faith if it were seen two thousand years from now? How significant will our humble life appear then? One man, or woman who led thousands upon thousands of souls to Christ by being obedient in delivering the gospel of Jesus Christ, and speaking about our journey of faith. Do you still think of yourself as being less? Well look through God’s eyes... you are heroic indeed.
“Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.””
John 20:21 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to redeem us, and save us from death. Lord, thank you for taking our lives and making them infinitely valuable through the telling of the gospel of Jesus, and by our speaking of the impact faith has had on us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you who sees us through the lens of Jesus Christ, and our profession of faith. Great are you whose Holy Spirit comforts us, and encourages us through the remembrance of your Word. Praised be your name Father for every soul we have impacted by delivering even a hint of faith to them. Merciful are you who makes us know how important we are to the accomplishment of your will, and how significant our lives are to your plan for creation. Hear our secret prayers, and grant us our deepest desires as we long to be in your presence always. See in us the faith of the great men and women of God, even when we can’t see it in its fullness. Judge us to be worthy Lord, and seat us at your table as your honored children forever and for all of eternity.
Rich Forbes