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A hotel clerk went out of her way to serve their guests. One man was so impressed that he vowed always to stay at that hotel. One person made a huge difference. In another situation, one person made a negative difference. As the nation of Israel was about to enter the Promised Land, God told Joshua, the nation’s leader, to dedicate to God everything in Jericho. One man violated those orders. So when Joshua tried to conquer the next small town, he lost the battle. Joshua fell on his face and asked God why they were defeated. God told him, “Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things I commanded must be set apart for me. They have not only stolen them but also have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. That is why they are running from their enemies in defeat. God told Joshua how to find the guilty party. It was Achan. They went to his tent and found the stolen goods hidden there. They brought the things from the tent and placed them on the ground in the presence of the LORD. Then they executed Achan and his family who were doubtlessly privy to what their father had done. The place has been called the Valley of Trouble ever since. One person’s actions can affect a whole community. Just as one person’s negative actions can hurt a community, one person’s positive actions, can help a community.
