One in a Million!

A very rhetorical exclamation that can have the rest of humanity surmising the obvious consequences of what if or how much it matters to me. The possibility of any one of us becoming that one in a million will always confront our opportunity to accept the invitation to reach for that hidden treasure. But, what is the prize that seems to elude our grasp when most have no idea what it is? That becomes the irony we all might want to investigate as life presents many aspirations into the hidden unknown we encounter.

When Jesus began his mission the first hurdle he needed to overcome were the demonic temptations Satan would present to him. A test that anyone would not expect but nevertheless we all will in some manner experience as we move forward in life. His next step was to choose those who would follow his doctrine of love coupled with suffering from a reluctant world that was satisfied with their self-aggrandizing attitudes.

Once Jesus collected apostles who trusted his message he began to teach in a manner that induced them to evangelize as seen at Pentecost when Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. These people are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: It will come to pass in the last days , God says, that I will pour out a portion of my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams: Indeed, upon my servants and my handmaids I will pour out a portion of my spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. And I will work wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below; and it shall be that everyone shall be saved who calls on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 2: 14 - 19, 21).

Consider further when the risen Christ gathered his apostles together before ascending to his Father, he told them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28: 19 - 20).

Each person who heard Peter’s speech would have told at least one other person what they heard and that person would pass on the same message to at least one more interested man or women. Each of them would become an evangelizer and extend this message to one or more persons, and the story about their salvation through Jesus Christ would continue throughout the earth, from city to city. The same mandate of Christ to his apostles before his ascension had the same effect on all to whom they met and in spite of their own martyrdom the message continued.

Reaching out with our own individual mandate to evangelize places each of us as one in a million. When we meet and speak to an unbeliever or another interested person the story of how God, through his only Son, Jesus Christ, has guaranteed our forgiveness and salvation of our souls, we have become that one in a million who will continue to spread this message of why Christ Died and Rose for us.

Ralph B. Hathaway