One person has the ability to make a difference

It’s amazing the difference that just one person can make.

Earlier this week, within hours of each other, I experienced the truth of that statement in two drastically different ways.

First, on Sunday morning, we had to say goodbye to someone who had become a valued and loved member of our church community. She was only with us for a short time, but during that time, she connected with many in our church.

Originally from Mexico, she had spent the last number of months in Niagara Falls, while her newlywed husband, an American, worked on his side of the border. Unfortunately, a perfect storm of American politics and Canadian immigration regulations prevented her from being able to stay in our country.

So this wonderful young woman and her husband were forced to relocate to a southern border town.

I share this not to criticize the current immigration system, but rather to highlight the character of this young woman. Forced to live in less than ideal circumstances, with her future uncertain, it would be easy for her to have been bitter and angry at the world for the hand she had been dealt, but that was never her response.

The’s an old proverb from India that says when you get bumped, whatever’s inside you spills out. Our young friend had definitely been bumped by recent events, and the only thing that spilled out of her was the love of Christ. Every time she was with us, the joy of a life devoted to Jesus was most evident. And here’s the wonderful thing: This love was never “on display,” it was just a natural expression of who she is — a Christ follower.

Then the next day, my wife and I were shaken to our core, as I’m sure you were as well, at the news of the Manchester concert bombing. As we watched the terrified parents standing outside the arena looking for their children, my first thought was I’d been exactly where those parents were — waiting for their kids at the end of a teen-pop concert.

But, thank God, that’s where the similarities end. I’ve never had to deal with the fear that one of my children may be one of 22 fatalities or among the more than 100 injured.

It’s my prayer that no parent ever has to face that fear again.

During one of many short, frequent prayers during the initial news coverage of the bombing, I was struck by the impact that just one person can make. A day earlier, we gathered around our sister in the faith to pray for her as she left our church family, grateful for the love that she had brought to us and received from us. What seemed like a few short hours later we were left wondering how someone can hate strangers that much.

Two different people. Two different responses. One of love that binds people together. One of hate that tears families apart.

I don’t want to oversimplify the difficult, complex reasons behind terror acts, but sometimes the simplest observations are the most accurate.

The world needs more people like our friend and sister in the faith: Dedicated to bringing the light, love and grace of Christ to a hurting world. Rev. Brad Peters is the pastor of First Baptist Church Niagara Falls (3900 Dorchester Rd.) and serves as chaplain to the Niagara Falls Fire Department. You can contact him at 905-3547836 or bpeters12@cogeco.ca