The Power of One

"The power of one man or one woman doing the right thing for the right reason, and at the right time, is the greatest influence in our society."
~Jack Kemp

We often think that if only we could band together with like minded, motivated people, we could really make a difference in the world.  We have all thought that at one time or another.  Don't get me wrong, I agree there is power in numbers, but please never forget that there is also great power in one.

One person can change the life of one other person.  That is a very big deal for the one person whose life was changed by the presence and influence of the other.   

I once heard a story about a beach where starfish get washed up on the sand by the thousands every year.  One year, at low tide, when the beach was covered with they dying creatures, a small boy was walking along  picking them up and throwing them back into the water.  An old man was observing the futile attempt of the lad, and eventually walked over to the boy to strike up a conversation. 

"Young man, don't you see you are wasting your time?  There are thousands of these starfish and there is no way you can save them all,"  he offered kindly.

The boy looked up at him with a starfish in his hand.  He glanced back down at the dying animal he was holding, pondering the man's words.  Without looking back up, he tossed the starfish out into the water and leaned over to pick up another.  "I know I can't save them all," he quietly replied.  As the next one sailed out toward the safety of water, the boy looked at the old man and calmly said, "But THAT one won't die." 

That story drives me to live my life differently.  It inspires me to never overlook the opportunity to speak into someone's life.  It motivates me to take time with people one on one.  You just never know which child is going to remember your words, your time, your effort in their life.  Seldom do we know when we are involved in a turning point in someone else's life.  People generally look back on such moments and recognize them in retrospect. 

We can each recall our own experience and remember a name or a face of someone who was a positive influence in our lives.  Sometimes it's a relative or a coach.  For some it's the pastor of their church or a youth minister.  For many it's a teacher, whether at school or in some sort of extra-curricular type activity. 

Our youth shooting sports instructors are the kind of folks who are saving one starfish at a time.  They cannot speak into the lives of every child in town, but they are instrumental in teaching a handful of them about responsibility, patriotism, civic duty, and the like. 

The volunteers who teach the Women on Target clinics,  or the Refuse to be a Victim classes, may never know which woman they empowered to defend herself or another person in her proximity.  No woman may ever come back and thank them for saving her life by training her, but it certainly does happen. 

There are a thousand ways we are given the opportunity to speak into the life of 'just' one other person.  Please, let's not let those moments pass us by.  Please join me in looking for the opening to make a difference, to save just one starfish.  It is a big deal to the one who is on the receiving end.

Blessings,
~Gwen