DEV:Have you saved the world today?  by Sheldon Crook

   If you were to survey the average man on the street with this
question, "Have you saved the world today?", probably 99.9% would give
you the answer "no", along with some pretty weird looks. After all, how
many of us have the kind of influence that allows our actions to have
widespread repercussions? Sure, each of us exercises a bit of control
over our own little corner of our world, but save the world? Hardly.

   But I would like to propose a thought, not to save the world but to
show just how much one average Christian can do without even realizing
what he or she is doing. When we are faced with a choice to act or not
act on something, we always know the results of our actions, or
inactions, as the case may be. But we can never know the results of the
alternative because we can't do both, act and not act, simultaneously.

   If you're totally confused by now, let me give an example. Let me
set a scenario that is part fact, part fiction and I think you will be
surprised at the implications.

   The setting is in central Europe in the year 1905. It's a peaceful
time there and everyone is quite happy and prosperous. Our main
character is a man we will call 'Hans' who is a born- again, on fire
'Bible thumper'. Hans is known as the local Jesus freak, although that
term would have to wait a few decades to be applied. This 'Bible
thumper' would talk to anyone who would listen about Jesus, God, sin,
etc. You know the type - a real problem sometimes.

   Well, one day Hans came across a young man about sixteen years old
and as usual started in about Jesus. The young man laughed at him and
went on his way. But a few days later Hans again met the young man and
again told him about Jesus' love and saving grace. This time the young
man listened a little longer but left again, unsaved. This went on for
several weeks, until finally, the young man accepted Jesus as his
personal savior and became a baptized Christian.

   Following his baptism, the young man joined a local church, sang in
the choir and became an active supporter of the church, even becoming a
deacon after a few years. He met a lovely girl, married, had two sons
and became a shopkeeper in the village where he worked for forty five
years. All the while, he was a devout Christian with a faith that
deepened each passing year. During these years, he led many others to
Christ, building up his treasures in Heaven. At the ripe age of seventy
five this man went to be with his Lord and Saviour.

   Big deal, you say; where's the part about saving the world? Well,
here it is - suppose the young man that was saved had been named Adolf
Hitler! This Christian, Hans, would have single handedly (with God's
help) saved the lives of nearly twenty million people and untold
millions from suffering and misery. Hans impact on the world would have
been second only to that of Jesus Christ himself!

   Nice story, huh? My point is this; would Hans have had any idea of
the import of his belief and faith? We all know the result of there not
being a 'Hans' at the time. Now, we may not save the world from another
Hitler, but we will never know until we fail to witness our faith and
then it's too late. The person you lead to the cross may not be a
future mass murderer but what would his or her children and
grandchildren be if they grew up without Christian training? So our
actions can actually affect several generations and all the people they
interact with! So you see, we can never know just how much impact we
have on the future as well as the present. Maybe when we get to heaven
all this can be revealed in detail but for now, each and every soul is
important to God and even if it isn't a future Hitler, this person is
loved by God and is important for that reason alone. So next time you
witness your faith to someone, remember 'Hans' and what happened
without him.