Wisdom of Liz: The Power of One

Our Bible verse today is Mark 12:28–29.

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.’”

It is easy to see the power of one when it is the power of one God. But this principle must not be overlooked in life with people. On one occasion, I was about to counsel a woman whose husband was determined to leave her. She was at her wit’s end. Since my wife, Liz, knew all about her, I asked her what I should tell the woman. I figured it would be good to look at things from a woman’s point of view. Her quick answer was profound.

She said, “Tell her about the awesome power of one!” I made a note of that on the pages of my heart. It would be something I would always remember. This is important because sometimes one is all you have. One can be enough.

What would our world look like without one Thomas Edison? Let’s also add one Alexander Graham Bell, one Leonardo da Vinci, one Louis Pasteur, one Marie Curie, and one Albert Einstein.

You might be tempted to say, “But I’m not important like them.” Maybe not, but there was one person who gave her life to raise each of them. There was one person who kept a family together. There is one teacher who educated a child. There is one person who preached to an Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8). 

You have to believe in the awesome power of one. No problem will ever be solved until one person tries and tries again.

We should add that, as Christians, we have the power of One plus God. That is a lot more than one.

Lonnie Davis