The Power of "One"

People just do better with - "One". If a person is mixed up, or confused, or not sure of the next steps, usually the reason is because of a confusion about one. Most of the time when people ask me for advice about a situation, they are unsure of one. They are struggling with multiple decisions rather than the peace that comes from one, multiple options rather than the wisdom that eminates from one, multiple opinions, multiple choices. We humans weren't made for multiple decisions (et al). We were really made for One.

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The other day I was counseling a man who had just undergone the long process of a painful divorce. He was now considering whether or not to enter into another marriage. My friend was comparing the two situations, the two women, as if they were, in some strange way - equal. "The truth be told," he said, "I was pretty happy with my last wife. I could have been happy being with her long term. The idea of entering into a whole new marriage, a whole new set of experiences, a whole new thing is sort of daunting to me." "Do you mean," I asked "You would have been happy being married to just one person?" "Yes," he said, "I can't wrap my mind around another one. I don't have it in me."

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In the year 1304 BC (give or take a millenium or so), the Deuteronomist wrote these words, potentially transcribed through the prophet Moses, to God's people: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Among the early religions of the world, this new faith system was unique. It espoused the radical idea that there is only One true God. That there are no other God's before that God. That people do best when they only worship one God

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In 312 AD, Constantine won control of the Roman Empire in the battle of Milvian Bridge. After winning that battle, Constantine recognized the need for some sort of unison, some unifying element in the new faith - the faith that he hoped, beyond hope, would also unify his empire. The confession that followed a very prolonged debate and dialogue about the future of the faith expressed the deep desire that the entire empire, and the whole faith of the time, to unify around One. The words that followed were epochal. They were singular. They centered around One.:

We believe in One God...

We believe in One Lord, Jesus Christ,

of One being with the father...

We believe in One holy catholic and apostolic Church

We acknowledge One baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

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My advice? Rid yourself of many, just go for one.

All For Now,

GB