The power of one.

So I picked my daughter up from her first day of school and within minutes I was balling my eyes out in the car.

Here's the skinny [go ahead wifey, laugh at me for trying to be cool by saying here's the skinny]:

Earlier in the day, Bebe saw a girl nervously clinched to her mom in the school hallway.
For some crazy reason she walked over and said...

'Hey my name is Bebe, what's your name?'. 'Is this your first day?'
'Its okay. I was new last year too'

'Mrs ___, you can leave. Don't worry, I'll take care of your daughter'.

'Bebe, what's wrong with you? come play with me. You haven't even talked to your BFF all day because of this new girl'.

'She's new! She doesn't know anybody so we have to show her love. Why don't we all play with her?'

Yea, at this point I'm crying like a baby.

You would have thought my daughter found the cure to cancer.
I can say that was probably one of my proudest moment as a dad.

I'd trade who she was that day for any award, report card or trophy she can ever earn.

Why?

Because most times, loving one person is as big as it gets.

Chances are no one reading this has the platform to change hundreds or thousands today.

But you know what we ALL have in common?

The power to change one.

Today.

We all have the power to love one person. Encourage one person. Be Jesus to one person. Invite one person. Say hi to one person. Be a friend to one person. Hug one person.

We can all do that.

You can.

I actually think that the less of a public platform you have, the more potential you probably have to impact people's lives.

In fact I'd argue that you right now, have the potential to give someone something they can't get from a Billy Graham crusade or the best conferences in the world.

Look, I love conferences as much as the next guy.

The reality though is eventually spiritual highs from conference momentum fades.

Sooner or later we all forget that one great thing that guest speaker said that one day at that one thing.

People vaguely identify significant life change with the big flashy billboard moments of life.

Very rarely though do we forget when we've been the intentional object of one person's love. 

I've had the honor of speaking to hundreds and thousands of people. Though I really enjoy it, the irony is I actually couldn't honestly tell you much about those experiences. It just doesn't stick.

I do however vivdly remember the first person who told me I was a gifted communicator. I could actually tell you the exact words and facial expression and location and time of day and how I felt...

I remember who stayed on the phone with me at 2AM in the morning when my life was falling apart.

I remember that guys hug when my dad passed away.

All that to say, I hope God fulfills your big 'impact-thousands-of-people' dreams.

But for now (and then), I hope you don't forget the potential you have today to do something that someone might remember forever.

I hope you don't forget the power of one.

I'm curious to know the earliest memory you have of how one person made a difference in your life. How far back can you go? Please share. Lets inspire each other to change one like my daughter inspired me.

My goal today is to find an opportunity to do for one what I can't do for all.

Who's with me?