The Power of One

I often go back to the old story, originally by Loren Eisley, of a man walking along the beach that is littered by starfish.    There as different ways of telling this story all of which have the same outcome...

Once a man was waking along a beach.  The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.  Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf's edge and the beach.  Back and forth this person went.  As the man approached he could see there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of a natural action of the tide.

The man was stuck by the apparent futility of the task.  There were far too many starfish.  Many of them were sure to perish.  As he approached the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he cam up to the person he said, "You must be crazy.  There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish.  You can't possibly make a difference."  The person looked at the man.  He then stooped down and picked up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean.  He turned back to the man and said,  "It sure made a difference to that one!"

It amazes me how God uses "one" person to set out a change the life of another and still manage to reach more than "one" person.  Over the last couple of days I have many encounters with "one".  They are in different forms  yet, together they have made such a difference in my life and the short period of time.  I'm not up to sharing to much yet because it's muddled still in my head.  I can only say this to the friend that listens and guides from the pastor that is obedient --

You made a difference in this one.