TELEMACHUS
St. Telemachus was a monk who lived in the fourth century in Asia Minor. While tilling his garden one day, he sensed God telling him to go to Rome. Immediately, he dropped everything and headed out. After traveling for weeks, he arrived in the great city, and noticed a parade occurring. He followed the crowd to the Colosseum. Taking his seat at the top, he observed several gladiators stepping onto the field directly facing the emperor’s box. “We who are about to die, salute you!” they said.
Telemachus suddenly realized they were going to fight to the death, simply to entertain the crowd. Standing up, he yelled at the top of his lungs, “In the name of Christ, stop!” Bounding down the steps, he jumped onto the field and yelled it again. At first the people thought it was part of the show, and they laughed. Then, realizing he was attempting to stop the event, they booed. Eventually, one of the soldiers shoved his sword through Telemachus. As he fell it to the ground dying in a pool of blood, he uttered his final words, “In the name of Christ, stop!”
Then something phenomenal happened. A solemn silence fell over the crowd. Near the top of the Colosseum, a few people started leaving. Then more and more, until eventually, the Colosseum emptied. That was 391 AD... and never again did fights to the death occur in the Roman Colosseum.
Amazing! One little monk was willing to take a stand, and as a result, history was changed. Viewed as a singular act, what he did wasn’t particularly profound. He simply expressed his conviction. Isn't that what God calls us to do in our daily lives? Jesus taught, “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth.... Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill." (Matthew 5:13-14 MSG). Don't wait for an engraved invitation to act. Just do the next right thing. Be salt and light to the world around you, trusting God to create the results.
A powerful example of this truth is in the Christmas film, It's a Wonderful Life. One man, George Bailey, discovers the amazing impact he's had on the world, by simply being salt and light. Throughout the movie, he repeatedly sacrifices his personal wants for the good of others. In the end, he sees what the world would look like, if he'd never been born, and he realizes the life-transforming effect he's had on those around him.
In the year ahead, don't expect to single-handedly end world hunger or stop abortion. But allowing God's light to shine through you, will produce amazing God-inspired results. You can literally transform the lives of those around you, and change the world...just as Telemachus discovered.