I am marveling today at the tremendous impact of one.

Most people see 1 as the first and lowest number—because they don’t count zero. But compared to zero, 1 is a 100% increase. Funny how a small perspective shift makes it seem immensely more valuable.

What about one person though…
What is the weight of one person? That’s the question weighing on my heart today.

In a world of over 8 billion people, what is the significance of just one?

Roughly 172,824 people will die across the world today.

• That’s 7,201 per hour
• 120 per minute
• 2 per second

In the United States, where most of our audience is, 8,460 people will die today.

The most troubling thing about those numbers is this: the majority will pass from this life and most people will never notice.

They’ll be mourned by a handful of loved ones who will grieve hard, maybe a friend or two, and some acquaintances from work or church. Some will pass, and no one will notice at all—which is truly tragic.

A Lesson From My Youth

I worked in a care facility when I was 19. I was one of the maintenance guys. It was a very nice facility with a devoted and loving staff who truly cared more about our residents than some of their own families did.

That was one of the more difficult things for me to wrap my head around—how many of the residents were alone. Someone cared enough to pay for a nice care facility for their family member… but rarely cared enough to come visit.

The staff there really was phenomenal. Each passing was felt deeply by them, even though it was a regular part of life in that facility. In the face of knowing that every person they grew close to would be someone they’d end up mourning, their humanity shone brightly—because they still loved and cared for each resident.

It was crushing to me, though—how alone our residents were.
Twenty-six years later, it still befuddles me.

That’s life though, right? I mean… just look at the numbers.

So what about the Power of One? Is that even a thing?

Many would argue no, based on that grim opening and story. But even with my personal experience rolling through my head… I still believe in the power of one.

“The power of one man or one woman doing the right thing for the right reason, and at the right time, is the greatest influence in our society.”
—Jack Kemp

One Voice Silenced, One Legacy Born

Yesterday, the world was shocked as CEO and Co-Founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, was murdered in cold blood during an event at Utah Valley University. The assassination has shocked the world.

The 31-year-old conservative culture warrior, known for his podcast, political activism, and large college campus events, was in the middle of speaking when a coward shot him from a distance.

You may not be a fan of Charlie Kirk. You may not know him at all because you’re not very political. You may be ambivalent—or outraged. Some people find him polarizing, and that’s okay. But yesterday, a wife lost her husband, and two precious young little girls lost their father. That alone is a tragedy.

So again I ask…

What about the power of one?

Let me suggest that Mr. Kirk will go down in history as a shining example of the power of one.

One man made a choice several years ago—to stand for something he firmly believed in and to dedicate his life to making a positive impact toward that goal.

His goal was to be a peaceful voice dedicated to the art of civil discourse in modern society. Mr. Kirk advocated for honest dialogue between people. His platform was to answer questions and have real conversations. To look dispassionately at logic, reason, law, the Bible, culture, and politics—and have meaningful conversations.

And it cost him his life.

He’s had to have security for a number of years because opposing views couldn’t seem to silence him or challenge his ideas with logic, reason, or facts. So over time, people resorted to intimidation—and eventually, violence.

But yesterday’s assassination marks a tragic escalation.

A Comparison That May Offend (But Needs to Be Said)

While I’m sure I’ll get some pushback on the following statement, I stand by it:

In a few years’ time, history will look back on Mr. Kirk similarly to how it sees Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Now hear me out. Dr. King is remembered as a civil rights leader, fighting for equal rights based on skin color. But more than that—we remember Dr. King because of his approach.

Malcolm X is remembered by history as a civil rights leader too, but because of his approach, he’s not remembered with the same reverence or for the same level of impact.

Dr. King advocated for non-violence. He appealed to a higher level of humanity, reason, and inalienable truths. And cowards—who couldn’t repudiate his ideas with logic, reason, or even threats—took his life too.

Dr. King showed us the power of one, as I now believe Mr. Kirk has as well.

One Voice, Devoted to a Cause

The world is a darker place for the loss of Mr. Kirk, much like it was after Dr. King was silenced.

My hope is that this will rally people, just as Dr. King’s loss did. That people will rise up and say enough is enough—that the media and political rhetoric tossing around unfounded slurs like “Nazi” and “Hitler” must stop. It’s intolerable, far beyond mere defamation of character.

Politicians and media personalities cannot call for violence against people they don’t like or agree with and face no repercussions.

Make no mistake: this senseless act of violence is on the heads of those who have falsely labeled people like Mr. Kirk as “Nazis.”

Nazis are remembered by history as the personification of evil. You cannot claim ignorance and pretend you didn’t know such vile rhetoric would have consequences.

Had Mr. Kirk not met this untimely end, he would have continued showing us the power of one. His platform and organization were already reaching hundreds of thousands of people every single day.

Even if he had passed peacefully decades from now, history would still remember him.

Because one voice—dedicated and devoted to a cause, a belief, an ideal—can make an impact.

And his already has.

So what about you?

Will you go through life with purpose, intention, and devotion to a belief?

Does that mean you’ll be the next Charlie Kirk or Dr. King?

No.

That’s not what I’m asking.

Chances are, you won’t have the spotlight or visibility of either of those incredible men.
But you don’t need global visibility to have the power of one.

But What If I’m Not Charlie Kirk?

There was a man named David, but everyone just called him Dave.
He didn’t lead a national movement. The media didn’t know his name. There are no monuments in his honor.

He was just a man who dedicated his life to serving in ministry and trying to reflect the light of God’s love.

He didn’t pastor a megachurch.
He helped organize workshops where bigger-name speakers talked about the Kingdom of God. He spoke at events from time to time—but he was content to serve in the background. He didn’t want fame in church circles.

But far more famous pastors and evangelists knew his name—even if the public didn’t.

He went on to pastor small congregations. The world at large may never know his story.

But if you were from his community and ended up in the hospital—he knew yours.

It became a running joke with the hospital staff. They knew he was coming. He’d show up in your room, offering help around the house, organizing meals, mowing your lawn, praying for your family.

No conditions. No requirements. Just love.

The church never grew to a massive size, but the whole community knew which church you could count on for help.
The same one that hosted seasonal parties and welcomed everyone.

The pastor who visited the homeless and “untouchables” of society—and knew them all by name.

The same pastor who walked his neighborhood and talked to everyone.

Only some of us know his name. But I can tell you—firsthand—he impacted tens of thousands of lives by quietly living out the Gospel of Jesus.

He was the power of one.

Will You Be the One?

Your story and mine will probably look more like Dave’s than Charlie Kirk’s or Dr. King’s.

No less valuable. Just less visible.

One voice.
One cause.
One ideal.
That’s enough to change the world around you.

So again I ask…

Will you be the one?

Because the world needs your voice. Your service. Your gift. Your mission.

We need more men to step into the life they were blessed with.
We need more good men who will not sit idly by.

Men who will declare:

“We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight!”

We need you…
to be a Power of One.

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