Just one Righteous

Noah was a righteous man who lived in a very unrighteous time. Corruption and lawlessness were prevalent on the earth and men looked out only for evil and not for good.

God had decided to destroy the earth because all men had turned from righteousness and no longer found in their hearts any need for Him. The creation that God had called “good” in the beginning had now turned against Him and had chosen evil over God.

However because of one righteous man named Noah, humankind was saved from complete destruction.

Let' s touch on three points:
- One righteous human being can make a difference in saving the world
- Corruption, dishonesty, and selfishness can destroy the world.
- You can make a difference.

One “righteous” person can make a difference in saving the world. Noah was righteous, faithful, and was one who persevered. He believed God even though he had never seen an ark before, not to mention a flood. Noah was obedient to God even when He didn’t understand what God was asking him to do

If Noah was not righteous, then he would have perished along with everyone else who died in the flood and humankind would have ceased to exist. Yet because of the righteousness of one person, Noah, the line of humankind continued on.

This is a good point to remember. We need to remember that even if there is lawlessness and corruption all around us, we still must shine on the love of God with lives of integrity and we must do our part to make a difference in proclaiming Jesus to the world.

There is great power in the life of the one.

Jewish tradition records “he who saves one life is as he who saves the world entire.” Let’s press on in righteousness, knowing our life makes a difference. Little good acts, little good deeds, little times of saying “yes” to God add up and can work towards great change for good in the world. The task of “saving the world” may be a bit large to tackle, but we can help to save one life and we can make a difference in the lives around us.

Irish philosopher, Edmund Burke noted that “All that is necessary for evil to triumph in the world is for good men to do nothing.” So we, as those who stand for righteousness in the world, must remember that it is not enough for us to stand for righteousness in our hearts, we must also stand for righteousness in our words, actions and the testimony of our lives.

It won’t kill me to trade the world’s approval for God’s smile.

There are many tragedies of evil triumphing in our world today. Across the globe, from third to first world countries, righteousness is spurned, just as in the days of Noah. Atrocities such as slavery, abduction and murder are prevalent in every country today. Let’s not be indifferent. Let’s not turn a blind eye. Let’s not dismiss the pain and suffering in the world as “far away” just because it doesn’t touch us.

Who knows if we too will be held accountable for the misdeeds of the earth, not by our participation in them, but by our absence of protest? One “righteous” person can make a difference in saving the world. Look at Noah. Noah made a difference in his by not joining in the evil of everybody else.

We too can make a difference in saving our world!

Corruption, dishonesty, and selfishness can destroy. Humankind in Noah’s day had given themselves over to all these vices. They did not seek God and pursued only evil, and because of their actions, God’s heart was grieved that He had created them and He decided to destroy everything with water.

If corruption, dishonesty, and selfishness could destroy the world in Noah’s day, it is still true today. The change starts with us. We can purge our lives of corruption, dishonesty and selfishness. Little sins, little compromises and little times of saying “no” to the Spirit of God can add up and create big discrepancies in our spiritual walk with God.

It makes a difference when we don’t watch something, or when we don’t slander someone. It matters when we speak life and edification rather than tear someone down. It makes a difference when we choose to pray rather than watch a sit-com. It makes a difference when we fill our hearts with praise music, rather than the top 40 hits of the year. It makes a difference when we give some of our money to the church or to charities rather than splurging at an overpriced restaurant. Everything can make a difference. Everything does make a difference.

You are not out of the company of history makers just because you are only one. You are not out of the fight because you are by yourself. Everybody’s life counts and can make a difference for good in the world. Noah was one man. Every bit helps.

There was an instant classic that hit the bookstores in 1998. Entitled “The Greatest Generation” by Tom Brokaw, it is a compilation of stories of people who fought in WWII. The dominant theme of the stories of the “greatest generation” was personal responsibility. It makes a difference how we live our lives, that we can and that we must do our part in this world.

Let’s leave a trail of love behind as we go our way, to the barista, to the clerk, to the flight attendant, to our kids… Right actions done in silence are powerful. We can look at people with love in our eyes instead of with judgment; we can treat people with love instead of mild contempt.

We can make a difference. Our words and our actions and our life-testimony make a difference.
We can make a difference in our spheres of influence and we can make a difference where and how we live. There is power in the life of one righteous life.

Remember Noah.