Previously we have written about “The Power of One” (this site’s August 5, 2020 post), where we focused on how to be that “one” who makes a difference. Roles may be small or large, obvious or discreet, but there is always something for everyone to do. Not all can be Schindler*; we give as we are able. Not all have power. But even in the days of the Underground Railroad, small acts along the way made it possible for others to be helped or saved.
Presently the world is reeling from attacks in a myriad of forms. The illusion of stability is shattered, and only those whose eyes are completely shut would not notice. Many are suffering hardships, some intensely so. Most feel helpless. Can anyone make a dent? Is it even worth trying?
In this article we wish to emphasize the incredible importance of “One”. Too many underestimate what they can do to bolster outcomes. Timidity (lack of courage or confidence) is often what holds people back — not believing they can make a difference. Courage is what conquers timidity. The behaviors are opposites, and both are embedded in habits which can only be broken by the power of human will.
Courage cannot be “gifted”; it must be self-generated one step at a time. One can pray to receive it (along with vital wisdom), but the action belongs to the individual. Free moral agency is granted to us by our Creator, who desires good and hopes we will choose it, but He wills himself not to force it on us. Otherwise we learn nothing, build no character, and remain weak.
How important are the decisions we make? We may have no idea and that’s part of the backbone required to act. There is often no guarantee of outcomes, except that doing nothing leaves nothing in the rear view mirror for us to learn from.
We can gain insights by studying the acts of others who have turned the tide in the past. There are far more unsung heroes than known ones, and some about whom books are written which are well worth reading. Stories emerge from all walks of life, some from military history. “PT 109″(**) is one this author read at an early age, among many others. PT-109 was the 80-foot Elco PT boat (patrol torpedo boat) last commanded by Lieutenant (junior grade) John F. Kennedy, future United States president. The incident occurred in the Solomon Islands campaign of the Pacific theater during World War II when the boat was attacked, cut in two, and sunk, with 2 of the 13 crew members killed instantly. But the rest of the 11 had stories to tell…because they had a leader. In that instance, John F. Kennedy was the “one” who made a difference.
The importance is not in the size of the act, but that it happens at all. A child who stops another from throwing rocks at a puppy or from bullying another has made a difference. It starts small.
The firewall against evil is built one act, one prayer at a time.
One enormous insight, seldom referred to, was recorded by the prophet Ezekiel at a time when his nation was about to be destroyed for its massive moral departures. In Chapter 22, verse 30 (recommended relevant context before and after that verse): “I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it, and I found no one.” Not one.
How strong is our impact?
We can be “no one” or we can be “someone”. It’s a choice. All it takes is one, whether others follow or not. That is what takes courage. We can be the firewall. All it takes is one.
© Copyright Nancy Diraison/Diraison Publishing, July 11, 2024. All Rights Reserved. Respectful sharing permitted with appropriate credit.
Footnote: *Oskar Schindler (born April 28, 1908, Svitavy [Zwittau], Moravia, Austria-Hungary [now in the Czech Republic]—died October 9, 1974, Hildesheim, West Germany) was a German industrialist who, aided by his wife and staff, sheltered approximately 1,100 Jews from the Nazis by employing them in his factories…
**Details on PT-109 history: JFK and PT-109: A Sailor’s Assessment
By Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired) August 2023, Naval History
https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2023/august/jfk-and-pt-109-sailors-assessment
Photo credits:
Earth/clock/time Illustration 6229895 © Eti Swinford | Dreamstime.com
Peace/War Crossroads: ID 100716616 © Joerg Stoeber| Dreamstime.com
Firewall: Photo 30892324 © Ig0rzh | Dreamstime.com
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