Gideon came from a family of idol worshippers, so he didn’t think he had much of a future. But God thought differently. He said to him, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” And today Gideon is remembered as one of the greatest leaders in the Bible.
That’s what’s known as “the power of one.” Do you doubt that one person can make a difference? Winston Churchill convinced England they could survive the Nazi war machine. Lee Iacocca turned Chrysler around and saved the company. Florence Nightingale transformed the care of patients by emphasizing sanitary design and hygiene in hospitals, practices that carry over to this day. Rosa Parks, a lone black woman, overturned two centuries of racial discrimination. But you don’t have to be a George Washington, an Abraham Lincoln, or a Mother Teresa to make a difference.
Your influence may not be as far-reaching as theirs, but “charity begins at home,” which means you can grow and thrive where you’re planted. In A Psalm of Life Henry Wadsworth Longfellow writes, “Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime; and departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time.”
Like Gideon, you may not be able to change your family history or undo your past mistakes. But you can learn from them, grow, and create a legacy that outshines your heritage. Not sure where to start? Commit your life to Christ and start following in His footsteps.
- https://www.jentezenfranklin.org/posts/the-power-of-one-1 -