Published January, 2000
Originally published as: “Thoughts of Littleton”
Updated, revised and republished.

As parents of toddlers, we couldn’t wait for our children to grow up and become independent.  During the growing years, we wanted them to be safe, and cautious enough to avoid childhood dangers such as running out into the street, drinking from the bleach bottle, or tumbling into a pool of water.  Our children are grown now.  Our daughter studies in Spain as part of the ASU International Studies Program.  Our son, a high school senior in Tempe, has a stack of college information on his bookshelf.

Like many other Americans, my family has been sobered by the many news events of the modern world:  our hearts sank as we watched the Littleton tragedy unfold and I saw the small bare foot of a student lying on a stretcher.  I remembered the many times had I tickled my own son’s bare feet while we stretched across the living room floor playing Scrabble?  I am reminded of how very vulnerable we are.

I wring my hands and worry for the safety of my own family and friends.  But I know this is useless worry.  I listen to the news.  Television commentators call for stricter gun laws, more police, parental involvement, school guidelines, government regulations…, and I have the feeling I’ve heard this all before.  What can one person do when the problems of rage and violence are so vague and overwhelming?

Today I find myself thinking more and more of a small quiet woman who lived across the world from us.  She lived in a city with an average population density of 79,000 people per square mile.  Her adopted country had over 740 million people.  She spoke Serbo-Croatian.  Her neighbors spoke Hindi and Urdu.  She was a Christian surrounded by Hindus and Muslims.

This tiny woman never wanted more than to help one person.  She ended up changing the lives of millions.  If anyone could understand our desire to change our society, Mother Teresa would be just the person.

Fortunately for us, admirers of Mother Teresa have worked to preserve her life in writing.   She was a small woman, soft with a heart of love, but tough with a soul of determination.  She lived 87 years, a living witness to the power of the Christian faith.  I turn toward her today to find the answers not offered on CNN.

Firstly, those who personally knew her as a young woman are unanimous.  She was nothing special.  They remembered meeting her, a quiet, unassuming, and “unexceptional woman.”  Our first lesson for these troubled times:  we cannot wait for an important, famous person to take charge.   Each “ordinary” person contains the seeds of courage and integrity to move mountains.

Secondly, she gave her life to Jesus, literally.  We don’t need to excuse ourselves from this duty simply because we aren’t Catholic or haven’t chosen a monastic life.  We must turn every second of our day over to Jesus.  He is our truth, our Way, and our strength.  Mother Teresa had a simple, quiet way of communicating this to her sisters.  She would raise her hand and touch her thumb to each finger, reminding them of a short five word sentence:  Do it all for Jesus.  She exhorted her followers with his words, “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”  (Mat 25:40)

Thirdly, she never set out to change the world.  On one ordinary day, Mother Teresa saw one woman dying on the streets outside Campbell Hospital, where they had refused to help the woman because she was poor.  With only the desire to help one woman, Mother Teresa stayed with her until she died.  While this experience propelled her to build a ministry for the poor and dying, she built it one person at a time.  She often reminded the public she only did “small things” out of “great love.”   Our third lesson:  we must rid ourselves of fear and strengthen our love.

Fourthly, Mother Teresa was in constant communication with God through prayer.  Beyond their daily prayers, she and the sisters viewed their actions as moments of prayer.  They walked in prayer and served in prayer;  their strength came from the Lord.  How can we increase our time spent in prayer:  in the car, at our desk, working in the garden, or exercising at the gym?

Lastly, Mother Teresa let the power of Jesus speak through her life of action.  Every small action bathed in prayer became a witness of her life offered to God through love, doing it all for Jesus.

Is this anymore than what each of us can do?  The world needs the witness of loving Christians.  This can only come through action.  Worry and despair will not save our nation.  We must each throw ourselves fully into the fight to restore peace in America.  We must each become the Christian light:  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  (Mat 5:15)

We each must find that one small expression of God’s love that we alone can do, strengthened by our prayers and love of Jesus:  Serve one another in love.  (Gal 5:13)  As busy as we are, busier still we must become.  We must look around us today, right now, for the “dying woman outside Campbell Hospital,” and get involved.  We can:

• spend more time with our children,
• volunteer for school activities,
• call television stations and voice our concerns about violent programming,
• write letters to regulatory agencies in charge of television programming,
• fight for an important piece of legislation,
• campaign for a politician committed to improving America,
• write letters to advertisers of violent programs,
• stop buying their products of,
• refuse to see R-rated movies,
• turn off the television,
• …and do it all for Jesus.

Making a difference, changing the world, is a big job.  And it’s also a little job, given to each of us through the love and example of Jesus.  Following His example, you can make a difference.