by Logan Mansfield

Created on: December 11, 2009

History testifies to the fact that one man can change the world. How it is changed is not always positive, however. Sometimes one man can change the world for the worse, while another man can work to make it better. Ultimately, man has the power to change the course of the world by his or her actions. Alexander radically changed the world when he conquered Babylon and Persia. Jesus not by sword but by miracles, wonders, and wisdom transformed the lives of millions over two millennia across the globe changing the face of Western civilization. Mohammad by sword and word change the Middle Eastern world. Mao Zedong transformed China and much of Asia. Changing the world is not an easy task. Some men aren't meant to radically change the world. However, it is rather evident that it can be done and it is being done everyday today. The question is will you make a difference?

Changing the world is not accomplished through cowardly men. Courage is almost a ultimate requirement for one man to try to change the world. To do something radical, to make a extreme difference, you have to be courageous enough to stand out, to make yourself known, to speak out even amongst persecution and strife. This can even be applied to helping the poor, taking action with a social problem, standing up for morals, values, and integrity. Cowards can't and won't do those things because they hide in the shadows in fear. For one man to change the world, he has to have the virtue of courage. Otherwise, he will get nothing done. If you look and see all the men and women that made a difference, that changed the world, you will not find one that was a coward. They had courage beyond anything we could imagine, and they probably knew as well that it was the first step toward making a difference.

One man changing the world rarely happens within their lifetime. The seeds have to be planted before the flower can grow. The one man who changes the world usually is the seed planter, the one that stood forward and decided to work in the garden. The fruits of his labor may take a long, long time, but his initial work was the foundation for a better future. Martin Luther King is a prime example. He planted the seeds of change in the hearts and minds of Millions of Americans and through his leadership America today is drastically different. I'm positive that if he were alive today Martin Luther King would be amazed that a Black president was recently elected. This point is important. Too often we get zealous and anxious for our actions to work faster, but we might have to realize that our actions may be merely the foundation, if not even a small cog in the entire process of working for a better future. We may never see the fruits of our labor, but we can know that we made the first step.

Certainly, man's actions change the course of history. Even more significant is the one man that makes his actions count to radically change how the world turns. These men do exist. They have existed in the past and they exist today. More importantly, they exist to inspire the many men out there that are too cowardly to stand up and actually make a difference in the world. One man can change the world, but imagine if many men stood forward to work together to change the world for the better? Man must act and work not for his own self interest but for the betterment of the world.

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