Thought for the Week
How often do we get stuck on numbers. I know I do, thinking that unless I can sweep across the land like a good-deeds crop duster, eradicating all the world’s pain and suffering (or ignorance, or violence, or?), there is no point in beginning. Mother Teresa saw things differently. She helped one person. And then another, and then another. And by the end of her life that one person had become thousands helping hundreds of thousands in 140 countries. Yet in every situation it came down to this: one person helping another. Teresa never forgot that.
If our hearts are open, God will show us that person. And the next person. And the next person…
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” ~Luke 12:6
∞
Mitch Teemley 
https://wordpress.com/refer-a-friend/xJJZob8cewgjp8PELXzl/
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Excellent. Thanks Mitch. Another example of quality being more important than quantity.
Malcolm
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Matthew 25:40 – He notices even when nobody else does
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Forwarding your image quote to my readers with thanks 🙏
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My pleasure, Ana.
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👌🙋
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A great reminder. And it brings to mind a quote from the Dalai Lama, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”
Thanks, Mitch!
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Love it.
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When I was a kid, one of my pastors started a phrase, “Each one reach one” that became our church’s mantra of discipleship. Someone else said, “Just do the next right thing.”
❤️& 🙏, c.a.
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Love this. A good reminder. And if we all were busy doing this, the world would change.
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Indeed it would, Kay.
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Beautifully said.
This reminded me of an apt quote in Marathi, an Indian language I grew up with.
“Thembe Thembe Tale Sache” which means “A lake is formed by one drop at a time.”
Literally translated, “Drop by drop a lake fills.”
Best wishes, Mitch.
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Thank you, Chaya, and the same to you.
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Love this, Mitch!
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I like that!
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Wonderfully put Mitch.
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Thank you, Kate.
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Mitch, it’s regrettable when evangelicals present Mother Teresa as an exemplary Christian. The gospel she propagated was Roman Catholicism’s false gospel of salvation by sacramental grace and merit. Tim Challies wrote a revealing article about Mother Teresa, link below:
https://www.challies.com/articles/the-myth-of-mother-teresa/
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Hi Tom. This post isn’t really about Mother Teresa’s doctrinal beliefs, it’s about the idea that reaching out to others doesn’t have to be done en masse. Rather that it can and should be embraced, as many protestant denominations (and C.A. Post above) like to say, “Each one, reach one.” And I do like Mother Teresa’s statement, “Start with the person nearest you.”
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Thanks, Mitch. Other evangelical bloggers have also told me that they used Mother Teresa’s picture and quote as a general symbol of charity after I sent a comment with my objection. Mother Teresa’s charitable endeavors were not altogether altruistic as Challies documents in his article. She was/is directly connected to her Roman Catholic church and its false gospel of salvation by sacramental grace and merit. Joseph Smith Jr. (Mormon) and Charles Taze Russell (JW) also taught charity. Would it be wise for evangelical bloggers to publish posts with illustrations/photos of Smith and Russell and their quotes on the topic?
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Tom, Mother Teresa is as much the face people associate with the word “charity” as Eisnstein is the face they associate with the word “genius.” She is charity’s most prominent expert, and is highly quotable on the subject (not Roman Catholicism). Whereas, Smith and Russell are the founders of Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses, respectively; that alone is what they are known for. On a side note, I’ve never read anything by either of them that I would want to quote.
Please have a look at my comments to Bruce below, btw. Thanks, my friend.
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I love this, Mitch. Somewhere along the lines, “evangelical” Christianity (which has completely lost its way, now) got the idea that the goal was to rid the world of evil and sin. Jesus never once told us to do that. I think your post perfectly sums up the teachings of Jesus.
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A truly wonderful reminder 🙂
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An excellent reminder!
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Thank you, Mitch. I needed this reminder especially as a beginner in this space
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I also loved Mother Teresa’s reminder to help the person closest to you. It makes me think of the “Pay it Forward” suggestion. Kindness is contagious. Thanks for posting this, Mitch.
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Hey Mitch, Thanks for posting. I close my emails with one of my favorite quotes from Mother Theresa, “If you can’t feed a hundred people then just feed one.”
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Exactly.💜
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Love your blog
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Thank you so much.
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Hi Mitch, you stated in this post that Mother Theresa never forgot about one person reaching out to another. I can understand the acceptance of that motto as a general rule, but what did Mother Theresa forget? Unfortunately a good number of things that Jesus specifically said, such as no one comes to the Father except through Him. Does that matter? I’d have to think it does. When you showcase someone for having a good “idea”, you showcase all of her beliefs, if you don’t indicate otherwise. You didn’t do that and that also matters. I really wish you had taken the time to respond to Tom’s legitimate secondary comment, but you didn’t do that either. Maybe you should reconsider doing that.
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Hi Bruce. I take a different view. When I quote someone, it doesn’t mean I’m in agreement with their entire set of beliefs or worldview, it simply means I like the quote. E.g. I have quoted Rumi on a number of occasions, but have never had anyone suggest that by doing so I was showcasing his (Sufi) beliefs. Or Seneca’s (Stoic pagan) philosophy, for that matter. Or even Spurgeon’s (Calvinist) theology. Were my standard never to quote anyone whose worldview I am not in complete agreement with, I would never quote anyone again (except Jesus).
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P.S. WordPress has informed me that you’ve followed me on two separate occasions since yesterday. Um, thanks? I’m guessing it’s yet another gremlin in the WordPress engine.
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P.S. Yes, I saw that. Somehow your account got dropped so I added it again. But later on, I got an error, so I added it again and it took. Pesty little positives and negatives charges!
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Hi Mitch, I can appreciate your different view, I just wish I had known that going in. I’ve had others question myself on quotes I have used in the past, and so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, I’ve adopted the practise of clarifying that, while I might not necessarily agree with all of the individuals beliefs, I do agree with the statement I am quoting, if I deem it necessary for the individual that I am quoting from. To be honest with you, it varies, depending on whom I am quoting. But, as you have indicated, you take a different view and now that I know that, I understand your preference and intent and that obviously is within your right to do so. Unfortunately, both Linda and Tom were also not aware of your different view, with regard to quoting, and it would appear that it resulted in their misunderstanding also. I look forward to exchanging emails with you, further off line. I would assume you are usually quite busy so just give me a heads up when it is convenient for you.
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Bruce, this is the first time in the 8+ years I’ve been blogging that this has come up. Re. “Knowing going in”: it says on my About page that I quote people like “Pascal, Chesterton, Merton (all Catholics), C.S. Lewis, Evelyn Underhill, and many other scientists, mystics, and storytellers” (the inclusion of non-Christians implied). Tom is new to my site, but Linda, a good friend and long-time follower, has read literally hundreds of quotes by non-Christians and Catholics here.
In closing, allow me to reference St. Augustine: “Truth belongs to [God], wherever it is found, gathering and acknowledging it even in pagan literature.” “All truth is God’s truth.” Paul clearly believed this, too, when he quoted two pagan poets in his sermon on Mars Hill.
Blessings, my friend. I greatly appreciate the work you do.
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Hi Mitch, I believe Paul cited their poets, whom they respected, and brilliantly turned it on the idolatry, that they then practiced. In essence, Paul did not take their truth and showcase it as authentic truth but rather showed it for what it was, wrong. Or, what they worshipped in ignorance and pointed that to God’s truth. Paul used pagan sources to confirm the truth of the Bible, not the reverse. There is a difference.
I do appreciate the position you have taken, in declaring the liberty to quote truth where you find it, without clarifying as to whether you agree with the quoted persons other beliefs, but I do not personally agree with it in all instances, because it can fail to take into consideration the mutual edification that we should always be aiming for, so that nothing we do with our freedom in Christ, causes another to stumble in the spiritual sense, or to damage or weaken their faith.
You’re an intelligent man, Mitch. You saw the torment that Linda (a good friend) was going through. Why did you not correct her, and free her from her misconceptions, if her assumptions were incorrect? Instead, you chose to maintain your own freedom at the expense of her torment and avoided responding to the question she sought an answer to. To be honest and candid with you, Mitch, so that there are no further unnecessary misunderstandings, both Tom and I would also like to know where you personally stand with regard to the doctrines and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church? Linda, Tom and myself are all of the Protestant persuasion. What say you? With all due respect, and I don’t say that lightly, I don’t think that is an unfair question to ask.
God’s blessings to you also my friend, and I also appreciate the work that you do.
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Bruce, last entry here, please.
Re. Your assumption that I blew Linda off: I was unclear what she was saying or who she was addressing, since she was replying to Tom. I asked her to clarify, and when I revisted the post she had deleted her comments without responding. I’ve been trying to contact her since then, and have lost sleep over this.
Re. Roman Catholicism: I am not Catholic, and do not agree with everything the Catholic church teaches, but neither am I anti-Catholic. I have studied and taught theology for over 40 years, have served at three protestant churches, and have guest spoken at hundreds of churches and conferences throughout North America; my theology has frequently been compared to that of C.S. Lewis. I’m about building bridges, not fences. So I’m not interested in using this Reply chain to write a blow-by-blow critique of Roman Catholic doctrines and teachings. If you’d like to know more about my beliefs, click on “Religion/Faith” under Categories. Shine on, my friend.
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As you wish, Mitch. I had no intent on critiquing Roman Catholic doctrines and teachings, but I do want to sincerely thank you for your tolerance and patience.
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Thanks for reminding me it’s not a crime to help our fellow man. or woman.. We need each other… lovely post
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Amen to that! One (usually) person at a time.
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very nice.
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