“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”

                                                                                                            Lamentations 3:40 (NIV)

(This week I announced my intent to retire at the end of August from a career in public education. For close to 30 years, I have been blessed with opportunities to share my passion and love of learning with others. Over the years my goal and purpose has been to engage in meaningful work to positively impact those I serve and represent … (at the risk of sounding corny) to make a difference. Isn’t that what most of us want? To be a positive influence. To leave things better than we find them. Yet, sometimes, we can get stuck and think that just one person can’t make that big of an impact. Today, you may be thinking what you do doesn’t really matter; but, I am here to tell you it does. More than you know, what you do touches the people you encounter. I am being reminded of that myself. Today, consider “The Power of One.” )

The young girl fidgeting in her desk stiffly holding the chunky pencil as she carefully maneuvered the awkwardly large writing instrument across the page. She struggled to put the right words on paper. Her assignment?  Write a paragraph describing your favorite meal.

As she started the closing, she wrote, “I just couldn’t wait for the desert!”

She proudly presented her finished product to the teacher who upon close examination spotted one mistake. The teacher pointed out the omission of a letter that altered the entire meaning of the story. The student had omitted an “s” – just one letter. Consequently, was the young girl really excited about finishing the meal to take a trip to an arid environment: a desert? Or did she actually have a sweet tooth which made her crave that apple pie: a dessert?

Just one little letter made all the difference.

As an adult, there are still times when I have to stop and think carefully about words like that. 

Lose or Loose? Did I lose my mind or did I break loose of what was holding me back?

Just one little letter. The power of one.

Just like that one letter can completely change the meaning of a whole sentence, just one thing can alter the meaning of a life. 

Do you ever feel like something is missing or that something just isn’t quite right? Then take a closer look at what is going on in your life. You might be missing one little thing that will change the meaning. 

Maybe you need to add something to your life to make things right: quiet time with God, purposeful prayer time, join a group at church, or make time for family or friends. Or maybe you need to omit something: one less committee, one less day working late, one less negative thought, or one less project.

Small changes can make a big difference!

Another perspective about the power of one is the power you have in the lives of others.

You make a difference in the lives you touch every day. What meaning do you add to their lives? 

What can you do to make sure that you have a positive impact when you are added to a sentence in the story of someone else’s life?

It all adds up – letters make words, words, make sentences, sentences make paragraphs, paragraphs make essays. By adding or removing just one little letter, you change the message.

Take time to check out your life, just like you check your writing. 

You could move from idle to ideal in no time!

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.”   2 Corinthians 13:5