THE NUMBERS GAME by Keith Tucci
The effect that numbers have on us is interesting. Often it tends to desensitize the poignant truth being discussed, simply by burying it in numbers. Take the national debt, for example. Have you ever seen the ticker that adds it by the minute? It’s astounding, overwhelming, bewildering! We are in the trillions now. I can remember the billions. What comes after trillions, I’m not sure.
The effect is to discount the little; a proposal to save a couple million is like taking a cup of water from the ocean. We see the same thing with evolutionists with their 500 million-year-old theories. Really think about it. Man lives about 30 thousand days on earth if he lives to be 80 years old. We have people telling us, with a straight face, that they can calculate 500 million years. They do it without blushing. In one document, they speculated the shark to be 200 to 400 million years old. What’s a couple hundred million years here and there? It desensitizes us to the fact that our life is brief and we are like a vapor.
Then there are the child murder numbers since 1973. Over 60 million. The number is hard to fathom. It is so large it almost loses the humanity it represents. What if we broke that number down to one first grade class in your local community? 30 little boys and girls. What if we saw empty classrooms and ballfields and dance studios? It’s real and personal and makes us take action.
We can’t pay down the national debt, but we can save some money to help others. We have not been able to criminalize abortion, but we can save some. Likewise, as I head to the Ukraine border with millions now fleeing for their lives and dignity, the numbers that need help seem overwhelming. We must look into their faces and see ourselves. We must see them one at a time.
This is why I’m going. I don’t want to think about millions. I want to see the importance of one. One old man who lived through Communism and thought the nightmare was over, but now sees his sons and grandsons maybe for the last time. A teenage girl who wonders if she will ever have a life, a home, a love that won’t be taken from her. These are the faces I need to see.
Honestly, I’m not sure I’m ready for it–but like conviction, I need it. We will not be able to save millions. What if we could, together, rescue 1,000 families? That would change history–at least for them.
Instead of being overwhelmed and desensitized by the numbers, I’m going to help a few know that God loves them, that His Church is alive, and their life, even as it is now shattered, is precious and valuable. I’m inviting you to join me to see one person, one family, that we can really make a difference with.
It’s not a numbers game. It is us saying that those numbers all have names.
MY TRIP SO FAR
It was a crazy whirlwind to even get this trip booked, but I have arrived safely in Amsterdam. Before I even left the United States, I had a divine encounter. I was sitting in the airport and a man asked me if I could watch his bag while he ran to get something to eat. I responded with, “Sure, but you know you’re not supposed to do that.” He let me know that he has a long trip ahead of him. His accent was familiar. When he returned, I asked him where he was going. He said he was headed to Ukraine. He had been in the states for several years, but he has children back in Ukraine. He told me that they have a great life there and went on to talk about many positive things about Ukraine. He didn’t hold back his disgust over the Russian onslaught.
I inquired about what he was going to do. He said he was going to help fight, if necessary. He has shipped 20 large containers close to the border filled with beef jerky, nuts, and other high protein items to keep people alive. He is praying that they will all be there. He has spent $20,000 on the shipment.
He went on to tell me that he is an evangelist who sings and preaches in many different kinds of churches. He has a large family. His kids in the US have their own business and are doing great. His kids who live in Ukraine also have their own business and have had a great past two years.
In our conversations, I told him that I got arrested in Kiev, Ukraine. Through our chatting, we become fast friends. What a start to this trip! Our team will be posting updates on social media as I’m able to send them, so make sure you are following NRP. Thank you for your prayers!
In the Master's Service,
Keith Tucci
NRP Apostolic Team Leader