The One

Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. The effectiveness of this simple concept is exemplified by the work of Southwest Florida’s Chris Brodd.

Think about it. Billions live in extreme poverty. Millions are in prison or fighting disease. Families all over the world are struggling. For many of us, the enormity of the suffering is overwhelming. It can make us feel like we aren’t able to make a difference.

That is why Chris Brodd’s story is so important. He implements Andy Stanley’s principle of “the one” effectively. It is both educational and inspiring.

I first met Chris in 2009. We were eating chicken wings at a Next Level Church event. Chris was looking for a way to serve and I was leading a group that served at the Salvation Army. Right away, Chris jumped in with both feet.

Before long, however, he started having second thoughts. He was busy. Chris also began to question whether he was making a difference.

“I promised to give this a try,” he told me. “And I keep my promises.” Not exactly the words of a man who had found his passion. But Chris remained committed to serving. And learning.

Fast forward to today. Chris remains busy managing a nearly ten-million-dollar-a-year organization, spending quality time with his family and being active at church. Nonetheless, every Wednesday night you can find him at Sally’s Cafe, the name of the Salvation Army’s soup kitchen.

What changed?

One thing that changed was Chris’s perspective. He learned to seek out “the one.” At any given point, Chris is personally invested in the life of someone who is hurting. While he dishes out hundreds of meals a week, if you ask Chris where he is making the biggest difference, he will give you a name.

“I am bringing Lionel over for Thanksgiving,” he told me the last time we hung out at the soup kitchen.

Conversations like that are the norm with Chris. He loves everyone who shows up at the soup kitchen. They all benefit from his servant heart. Likewise, he understands the need for systemic solutions to problems associated with poverty. But Chris also knows that his personal efforts at this time are most beneficial when they are focused on one person.

For instance, a few months ago, Chris called me about a young man named Jorge. Jorge was homeless. He was also living with Epilepsy. The combination meant he wouldn’t last long without some sort of immediate intervention. Again, Chris jumped in with both feet.

He spent Father’s Day weekend in the hospital with Jorge. Then, over the next few months, Chris and others helped Jorge reconnect with family, secure housing, find much needed medicine, and get a job. Jorge is now working, living with his family and attending Next Level Church.

Such success was possible because Chris learned to focus on “the one.” That didn’t mean ignoring other problems. It just meant that he was best able to help by focusing on Jorge.

Chris’s focus allows him to help several people a year get out of homelessness – and that is worth celebrating.

Of course, such celebration leads me ask a question. Is there someone in our lives who we view as “the one?”

Obviously “the one” doesn’t have to be a homeless person. It could mean helping that couple next door who is on the verge of divorce, or pouring in to the teenager in our class who feels alienated from the world. It might mean re-engaging with a family member or connecting with a fatherless child.

My view is if someone popped in our head when we read this, well, then that person might be “the one.” Maybe we can help them. After all, as Chris Brodd’s story shows, when we do for one what we would like to do for everyone, it really is possible make a difference.

Well, I hope this was helpful in some way. Thanks for serving.