Reflection on The Power of One

Recently I've been listening to an audio book which is a collection of reflections from Bryce Courtenay called The Silver Moon: reflections on life, death and writing. As the title implies this a thoughtful reflection on his varied life, his career in advertising and of course his writing. I thoroughly recommend it. (Bolinda Audio read by Humphrey Bower).

He recalls how very early in his life he discovered the idea of "the power of one". This is the power each of us has to make choices in life, to not be dictated to by circumstance, but to use "the power of one" to make important life changes. He gave his first novel the title The Power of One and he has also clearly lived according to this premise.

It challenged me to consider this approach to life, to think about this idea in a larger and perhaps more personally reflective way myself. How we each have that ability to make choices; we each have the ability to live in a way that is not dictated by circumstance, but is above circumstances. I've also reflected on how, together, when we collectively call on each individual power of one, the effect is multiplied and we are able to achieve great things seemingly advice the odds. 

I've also pondered how those choices can have either positive or negative outcomes, depending on how we choose to exercise that power. In Genesis, Adam used his 'power of one' to make a decision that has impacted our world ever since. In Romans we read how his decision affected the life of the rest of human kind.

The good news is that Jesus, in great love, and showing God's grace towards us, used his 'power of one'for good. As a result of this one man's decision to lay down his life, the world has been impacted for good and for eternity.

When each of us choose to use our 'power of one', not just to improve our own life, but to help others, we make the world a better place. As we allow the power of one man, Jesus, to make a difference in us, we see the world from a different perspective and we impact the lives of others for good.

Together, as we allow the power of one man, Jesus, to work through us, as we use our 'power of one', not just individually but collectively, for the good of others, then the world will be a very different and kinder place.

How will you and I exercise our 'power of one'?

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