All It Takes Is One

To enjoy something or not, it’s often about how you put yourself into the event. You can be the stick in the mud or the life of the party. All it takes is one to make it better or one to make it worse. Often, that one is “you” or “me.”

The power “one” holds often reflects how others follow their lead.

I watched that in the hotel dining room with teens disrupting the morning. Hogging space, laughing and cutting up, messing with the utensils and supplies, and no one said anything, even when they started messing with the equipment. They weren’t being bad, just disruptive. I suspect they had a ringleader, but they all acted goofy; it was hard to target which one.

Once the “one” bleeds over into others, I have difficulty determining who is the main culprit.

For a moment, I imagined them in their element or back at their home. Is this action tolerated? Encouraged? What would their parents do? What do the kids respond to? Authority? Intimidation? Love?

All it takes is one: One person saying “no,” standing up to the foolishness or wrecking the event. One person going too far. One voice starts the action, and others join in.

But, honestly, this is a tough answer to consider. It’s how you address the “one.” Reasonably? With Authority? How about concern? Love?

Of all the people we can talk about who took their solitary position and influenced others, we could paint a picture of history and find someone like this on every street corner.

But I think about Jesus.

One man (God robed in the flesh) steps on the scene, and the results could have been anything he wanted. His followers thought one thing, but He did another. They wanted results now, but he had a different plan. They wanted immediate rewards, but Jesus scoped out the future. Us.

Then, with love, he gave us the gift of being the one to reach others. Our influence is not to incite war but to show love as He did. Going the extra mile. Giving the very coat off our back. Considering others before we consider ourselves.

In other words, if we were all to be more like Him, how better would this world be? We could change the world! Don’t you think that’s what the dandelions think?

From the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:38-48 NKJV
“You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’
But I tell you not to resist an evil person.
But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?
Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?
Do not even the tax collectors do so?
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

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