“And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also’” (Acts 17:6, ESV).
Holy cow! It was a crime of epic proportions. Last October, authorities in London arrested a sixty-three-year-old man who allegedly stole 48,500 pounds of cheddar cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy. Many of the 950 wheels of cheese taken from the distributor had won numerous awards and were quite sought after by artisans. The total value of the heist was estimated to be $389,000.
Celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver, claims the impact upon the industry is significant. Only a few real cheddar cheese makers are presently in operation worldwide. The detrimental effects could last for years and leave the industry reeling.
Yet turophiles from across the globe have come together to assist in the investigation of the crime. Buyers are being encouraged to keep a sharp eye out for suspicious products. Moreover, Neal’s Yard Dairy is honoring its payments to the small companies that produce the cheese. True cheese believers are uniting as one to ensure their mission of providing quality cheeses to their consumers will continue into the foreseeable future.
The early church likewise demonstrated that a small community united around a singular belief can change the world. In three weeks, a small group of Christians led by the Holy Spirit convinced a vast number of people in Thessalonica to place their faith in Jesus. Just a few like-minded believers is all that God needed to turn the town upside down.
The power of belief is evident in the business world, as well. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream is now sold in thirty-three countries because their employees believe that ice cream can change the world by integrating their concern for meeting human needs and eliminating injustice into their everyday activities.
Henry Ford believed that every working household deserved to own an automobile. Ford dropped the cost of manufacturing a car by ninety percent to make this dream possible. By sacrificing lower profit margins Henry Ford enabled the company to sell more vehicles.
Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne believed that technology should be accessible to everyone. Apple designs its products, not just for some or most, but for all people. Forty-nine percent of all the smartphones in use today are made by Apple.
Anything is possible when a group of people align their common beliefs and actions around a compelling purpose that is greater than their individual aspirations. As Christians, when you and I truly believe in what we are doing no dream is too great to achieve. If God used the church to set the world reeling on its head once before, God can do so, once again.
Do you believe this?
Prayer: