The afternoon fatigue was setting in one day at work. You know that feeling you get a couple hours after lunch? I was grateful for the few minutes I could sit down.

The questions automatically came out of my mouth as I talked to the young girl in the room, and I was laser- focused on writing down her answers.

After doing this for a few years, I had the routine down, so I was in my zone and noting down the answers as I rolled onto the next question.

Just as the words of the next question was about to fall out of my mouth, she broke my trance and said, “I just want to thank you…”

I looked up at her, thoroughly confused. Her statement was out of the natural flow of my routine.

“Thank me for what?” I asked.

“I had a plan of hurting myself the last time I was here, but you saved me from doing that.  It’s because of you that I am here today.”

I was stunned and could feel the warmth of my blood rushing through me.  I was completely alert now and racking my brain.  I hadn’t seen her in months.

She explained that the last time she saw me, she had contemplated the meaning of her life and didn’t know if she wanted to live anymore.  After spending much time together with me in discussion that particular day, she decided that her life was worth living.

I was fighting tears at the end of her words.  It felt like an out-of-body experience.  How God used me that day months ago….I don’t even have the words.

Mordecai was tasked with raising his young cousin after her parents died. It was probably not what he envisioned doing as an adult, but it was ordained by God.

Against all odds, this young girl transforms into a beautiful woman and wins the throne as Queen in Persia.

Amidst adversity and bullies, he makes every attempt to notify his Jewish cousin of this evil plot, now in a place of authority, yet sheltered inside the palace.  He knows that with her status, she can do something and save an entire race.

With the help of God and through the wisdom of Mordecai, word reaches the Queen and the plot is thwarted. The Jewish people are saved.

The power of one.

Mordecai used his wisdom and whatever he means he had to make an impact on ONE person. And that one person incredibly impacted an entire race.

As much as Esther was placed in her position for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14), so was Mordecai. He was positioned in a place where he could hear a plot and could influence his cousin- in a way no one else did.

You may never know why you are positioned where you are today, but there is a reason. We may be misguided to think that the only way we can influence people is by impacting the masses.  But that is not entirely true.

The way you interact with just one person can make all the difference in the world. And you never know the kind of impact that one person will leave on the masses.

~Betsy