An historical note to kick things off.

A few years ago, I got a call from a man who had gone through a particularly ugly divorce while he attended our church, many years earlier.

Ron was a young man back then. He worked with his hands as a skilled carpenter. His life was wrecked by the divorce, as many lives are. But, in the months following that divorce, lots of people in our church walked him through that valley. He gained strength and stability. He trusted in Jesus – and then moved from San Antonio and out of our lives.

I hadn’t heard from Ron for many years when he called. He still worked with his hands. He had been happily married to a wonderful Christian woman for the last sixteen years. He was still walking with Jesus. He called to say “Thanks” for the help our church provided to him during the low point of his life.

I’ve thought a lot about that phone call, and other similar calls and letters our church has received over the years. These have prompted me to bring a different metric to the table when assigning success to a life or to a church.

My favorite measure of success involves counting up the currently active stories of lives that are being impacted by love and grace. Based on the general tenor of His life and ministry, I have come to wonder if this might be Jesus’ favorite reckoning of success, too.

True, His life impacted thousands. And by His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead He has redeemed untold millions. But examine the record of His life as found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and you’ll see a life chock full of one-on-one conversations and small group interactions.

A few Galilean fishermen. A tax-collector. A lone Samaritan woman. A Pharisee with questions. A man with leprosy. A woman with a chronic illness. A long string of demon-possessed men, women, and children, all dealt with one at a time. A rich, young ruler. And on and on we could go.

He impacted people – persons – up close and personal. In the end, He entrusted His worldwide ministry to a very few persons who knew Him quite well. I think we would all agree that, empowered by the Holy Spirit, they did quite well with their mission.

I am more convinced than ever that the greatest impact is always made face-to-face, one-on-one, life-on-life, very often in community.

Impact occurs when a mom or dad speaks grace into the life of a son or a daughter; when an older woman lovingly mentors a struggling young mom; when a man who has been “clean and sober” for six years comes alongside the guy who is having a hard time making it to Day Two and says, “You can do it, buddy. Trust Jesus. One day at a time. I’m with you. I’m praying for you.”

I’m wondering if, at the end of time, God will turn to each of us, and to each church, and say something like, “Well done. You loved ‘x’ really well.”

And who is “x”?

The person who doesn’t have a home.

The socially awkward older woman who never married and hates men, anyway.

The person who struggles to live normally but suffers from mental illness.

The high-powered executive who needs acceptance, not for achievement, but for his basic human worth.

The person addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, or food.

The woman trapped in the sex industry.

The lonely teen.

The child with learning challenges.

The Pharisee who finally found grace.

When Jesus took the time to reach out to the poor, the oppressed, the leper, and the diseased, He was creating a template for His people to follow for all time.

It is as if He was saying, “It’s easy to love ‘people’ in the abstract and generic. (Remind anyone of that great philosopher, Linus, from Peanuts? “I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand!”) Don’t love ‘people’ or ‘humanity.’ Love THAT man, THIS woman, THAT child. My work has always been done one life at a time.”

Go ahead. Make a list. List those whose lives are being impacted by God’s love and grace in your circles – and give glory to God for each one of them.

And be the one who spreads love and grace today. Not by an impersonal “random act of kindness.” Let yours be an intentional act of kindness, done prayerfully, hopefully.

Yours…His,

Dave