The Difference One Life Can Make

It's easy to think that one person can't make much of a difference, but I read a verse yesterday in Jeremiah that paints a very different picture. We can have a bigger impact than we ever imagined.

God told Jeremiah to search through the streets of Jerusalem, looking for a righteous man. 

"If there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her." Jeremiah 5:1 nasb

At the time that was written, people in Jerusalem were worshipping idols, including burning babies alive as an offering to Molech. The immorality rivaled our own. Sin and false religion were rampant. They had more "fake church" than real worship. 

The presence of just one man who did justice (mishpat) and sought truth could have ushered in pardon for the entire city of Jerusalem, despite their sin. 

What great love God has for His people that He would be willing to forgive to the uttermost. To pardon the unpardonable. To accept the righteousness of one for all. Yet there was not one who did justice, who sought truth.

Just one could have made a difference, but there was none. 

The prophets had already spoken truth to the people of Jerusalem, but they ignored them. Everyone did whatever they wanted. If Jeremiah had said, "It will only take one to save you," would they have changed their hearts and ways? Maybe, but, by then, it would have been too late. 

The time to live a righteous life was before God sent Jeremiah to search for one.

I have to wonder what God thinks when He looks at us. Would He hold off judgment if He found one among us who sincerely did justice and sought truth with their whole heart? 

How much of an impact could we make, if we were willing to be the one? 

In a world where everyone else was doing wrong, would you be willing to be the one who did right? Would I? 

Would we be willing to live as God commands if we knew we could save a city by our right choices? 

We will never know just how big a difference we could make, if we never try. So let us step up and live as Christ commanded. Let us love our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Let us love our neighbor as ourselves.

Let's live life God's way, and watch to see how God can use us. There may be a city standing on the cusp between judgment and pardon, waiting on our lives to decide their future. 

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8 esv

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In case you missed it, here's yesterday's post:Tupelo: Turning Tragedy Into Triumph
Here the link to the worldwide prayer guide: The Prayer List 
#betheone #justice #righteousness