It Matters to This One

I remember a trip to the lake quite a few years back.  I was traveling with my parents and brother when my Dad saw a road he'd not seen before.  My Dad is known for exploring dirt roads and always having to see where it goes.  This time we were pulling a boat on a trailer behind the car.  After Dad had done some exploring and we were about to get back on our way Dad noticed the boat was not sitting right on the trailer.  He stopped and got out to investigate.  A bolt had come loose on the trailer causing one of the rails to pop out of place.  Had we gotten on the highway and gone on we likely would have lost the boat in the middle of the road.  Dad found another bolt to replace it and we all got behind the boat and started pushing it back into place so that the bolt could slide in on the trailer.  One simple bolt could have ruined our entire weekend and many trips to come.  It's like breaking a small bone in the foot and hobbling around on crutches.  One little thing breaks and it causes so many other things to topple.  But we see it differently when it comes to fixing things.  I am reminded of the story of the small boy out on the beach filled with starfish.  One by one he would pick up the starfish and toss it back into the water.  There was no way he'd ever be able to make a difference out there.  The job was too big and he couldn't even throw in a fraction of the starfish.  Most of the starfish would simply die there on the beach.  A man watched for awhile then finally approached the boy and asked why he was bothering with his task.  He wasn't going to be able to make a real difference.  All his efforts weren't going to matter to all those starfish dying on the beach.  The boy picked up a starfish and said, "It matters to this one."  Then he tossed it in the water.  Which example fits each of us?  Are we the broken toe that cripples the body?  Or are we the child doing whatever we can to make even a small difference?  Too often I'm afraid I'm the broken toe.  Content to sit where I am and wish there were something more I could do.  I can't feed all the hungry or change the attitudes of the hopeless.  But I can pick up a few cans of food and contribute.  I can encourage one person, smile at one person.  I don't have to be the entire solution.  But I at least need to be part of it.