One More: What the Hero of Hacksaw Ridge Taught Me About Ministry, Relationships and Myself

Originally published Nov. 4, 2016, on TheHaystack.org

One More: What the Hero of Hacksaw Ridge Taught Me about Ministry, Relationships, and Myself

This weekend the film “Hacksaw Ridge” hits theatres.  Already receiving a lot of press and anticipation as the next big war movie, it’s based on the true story of Desmond T. Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist conscientious objector serving in the US army during World War II.  He’s estimated to have saved between 50 and 100 lives, receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service.  He’s considered a hero – and I’d say rightly so.

We love hero stories – at least I do.  They touch that longing deep inside us to make a difference – to change the world.  And personally, changing the world has always been important to me.  I believe our world is at war – spiritual war.  And I think the battle is about to get hot.  In the light of this, I’ve spent a lot of my time in various ministries and evangelistic activities.  From giving Bible studies, to door-to-door work, to preaching, to teaching…  I’ve run organizations, started organizations, served on boards and led ministry teams.  I’ve wanted to make a difference. 

Yet with all this, I believe Desmond Doss knew something it’s been hard for me to fully understand:the power of one.

As Desmond Doss fought through the mayhem at Hacksaw Ridge, his prayer was very simple: “Lord, help me get one more…  one more.” Doss didn’t set out to be a hero.  I don’t believe he anticipated getting a medal of honor.  He just saw people in need, and he went – for that one.  And then another one.  And another.  Because that one was important.

And the story reminds me: I will never change the world until I understand the power of one.

It’s a message that the Lord’s been pounding in my brain but that’s so hard for me to fully internalize.  My utilitarian, business-background mind thinks of efficiency, strategy, and how to do the greatest good to the greatest number of people.  So in career, that means figuring out how to accomplish the most – for Jesus of course.  And even for things like marriage, it only made sense as long as myself and the other person could accomplish more for the Lord together than either could by ourselves.  I’ve said that many times.  And it’s true. 

But do I understand what accomplishing “more” really means? In my logical reasoning, could I have discounted a key ingredient?

It’s interesting to me how Jesus worked.  Yes, he definitely spoke to crowds and catered to the masses.  Yet if you look closely, that wasn’t His primary focus.  At the core you see Jesus chiefly investing in a few rough-edged, uneducated guys who He hoped would somehow be transformed.  Somehow he knew that these seemingly inferior investments were what was going to yield the greatest returns.  His followers often chafed at how “inefficient” Jesus’ ministry was.  Why didn’t He let them crown Him king?  Think of how much good He could do?  But Jesus knew what mattered.  He wasn’t out to “change the world,” in that way at least.  He was out to change a heart – even if just one.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  These words of Christ from John 15:13 rang vividly and suddenly into my mind one recent morning.  And I think I suddenly got it. This is what Desmond Doss did.  This is what Jesus did with His disciples.  And this is what we are called to do.  More than changing the world, ministry is about laying down my life for even one.  It gives a whole new value to relationships.  Marriage, for instance, becomes more than some type of business partnership for ministry – it becomes the ultimate laying down of your life for someone.  Genesis 1:27 says that together, Adam and Eve formed the image of God.  It happened in relationship. What if what’s most “effective” in God’s eyes is when you help one person – maybe your spouse – to be formed into the image of God?  What if that’s when you really CAN do “more” together for the Lord?

And it’s definitely not just marriage, friends. Maybe you’re called to lay down your life for a friend in need.  Maybe you will reflect the image of God in how you bond with that young person in your church who needs a caring mentor.  Maybe it’s the thankless hours you spend with your children. Oh believe me, for an efficiency-based gospel spreading, having children has just never made sense to me!  Think of all the numerous people you could reach with the time invested in one or two little urchins who may or may not choose to serve God in the end??  These investments may seem almost wasteful at times. But I forget again the power of one in changing the world. I forget the height of the calling to lay down our lives. I forget that for Christ, I was the “one more.”

Yes, I may teach and train many people on evangelism strategies.  I may start projects or run organizations.  And it’s good and it’s needed.  Please don’t take this as any excuse to neglect evangelism! Please don’t think I’m minimizing some of my own callings.  But still, it’s all nothing.  Nothing.  Unless I know the power of one.  Unless I’m willing to lay down my life.  Unless I care more about reflecting the image of God in my relationships than accomplishing whatever.  Because lives aren’t saved in masses.  They’re saved as individuals. They’re saved as “one more.”