The Power of One

By Tom Ellsworth

One really can make a difference.

It was a sweltering election afternoon in 1842 when Hoosier farmer Henry Shoemaker finally realized he hadn”t voted yet. Shoemaker had personally promised state representative candidate Madison Marsh he would cast his vote for him, so he saddled his horse and hurried to Kendallville before the polls closed. When the votes were counted, Marsh and his opponent, Enos Beall, were tied. There was one contested ballot, and it was Shoemaker”s. When his vote was finally admitted, the tie was broken, and Marsh was declared the winner . . . by one vote.

At that time, state legislators, not the populace, elected U.S. senators, so when the Indiana general assembly gathered for that responsibility, Edward Hannegan was elected by one vote. You guessed it; it was none other than Madison Marsh who changed his vote on the sixth ballot to give Hannegan the election.

Three years later a sharply divided U.S. Senate was debating the issue of war with Mexico. The vote was deadlocked until Sen. Hannegan of Indiana cast his vote in favor of declaring war.

And what did the U.S. get out of that war with our southern neighbor? For one thing, California, which was surrendered to the United States! Henry Shoemaker could never have imagined that day the chain of events he set in motion with one vote that would forever change American history.

The Scriptures are clear about the power of one. Paul, writing to the church at Rome, reminds us of that very truth: “For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God”s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!” (Romans 5:15).

When we gather around the Lord”s table, we remember his life-changing sacrifice. Only God understood the wonderful chain of events set in motion the day Jesus died. Jesus wasn”t just one, he was the only One who could win the war for our souls and forever change spiritual history. His singular grace overflowed to us, the many.

One really did make all the difference!

Tom Ellsworth serves as senior minister with Sherwood Oaks Christian Church in Bloomington, Indiana.