What Can One Person Do?

All those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. Luke 4:40

I had a day off yesterday, which meant I finally got around to cleaning up the mountains of leaves that autumn has piled in my yard. About five minutes in, I realized that the job was going to be far more work than I had time for. At that point, I despaired. There was just so much to be done and not enough of me to do it. I had a choice and it seemed that my options were limited. I could just cancel my plans and skip work for the rest of the week, moving leaves until the job was done. Or, I could throw my hands up and walk away. I’ll never get it all done, so why even start?

This is often how I approach the Christian life. I know that God wants me to help others. He desires that I share the love he’s shown me with those he’s put in my life. When I look around though, there is just so much to be done. The number of people I meet struggling with addiction is overwhelming. I can’t possibly help them all. So, as with the leaves in my yard, I feel that I only have two options. I must either quit the rest of my life, throwing myself at an insurmountable problem. Or, more likely, I should just walk away in despair. I can’t possibly fix the world, so why even try?

In today’s passage, Jesus healed the sick who were brought to him. At first glance, this doesn’t help my predicament. I can’t perform miracles like Jesus. God isn’t asking me to be Jesus though and he isn’t asking me to save the world. Jesus used what gifts he possessed to help those around him. This, I think, is really all God is asking of me. Do what you can, with what I have given you, to help those I’ve put in your life.

God hasn’t asked us to perform miracles. He’s asked us to do what we can to help those whom he’s put in our path today. We don’t have to change the world. We just need to love those around us. In doing so, God changes us and our small corner of the world.