It Just Takes A Nobody

Sometimes a novel observation jolts you because you realize instinctively that it reflects reality. I was listening to one of Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcasts when he made such an observation as an illustration for the larger topic: He brought up Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassinating President John F. Kennedy and noted that many still do not believe that Lee acted alone but was part of a larger conspiracy. Then he made this observation which I paraphrase: “I feel that many are drawn to conspiracy theories because they simply cannot believe that a nobody acting alone can have so much impact on human events and history.” He is correct on folks’ tendency to believe conspiracy theories. Even after five thorough, independent investigations a majority of people surveyed still believe that there was “another shooter on the grassy knoll.” Or, that Lee Harvey Oswald was acting as a Russian agent and pawn. Carlin was not addressing the evidence and whether or not people should believe Lee acted alone. He was addressing why people want to believe he didn’t. President Kennedy’s assassination did have tremendous impact on our nation and on the world. Could a nobody be responsible for that? All on his own? I thought of another nobody. Lee Harvey was an evil nobody. I thought of a good nobody—Jesus. In the eyes of the society of the time, Jesus was a nobody. He was a member of a conquered people. He was from a poor family in a backwater town in a backwoods territory of a small, backcountry, vassal nation. He had no educational degrees, no financial holdings, no heroic accomplishments. To Rome, He was a nobody. To the Jewish leadership, He was a nobody. To His own hometown, He was a nobody. To His own siblings, He was a nobody. Yet, without doubt, this Nobody impacted the world more than any other human who has ever lived. Period. If we made a list of all the effects this Nobody had on human history and human existence—from religion to medicine to education to science to civilization, etc.—that list would fill volumes. And note: From the very day of His resurrection until today, conspiracy theories have been devised to try to explain His impact: The disciples stole His body. The NT authors made up stories. The manuscripts were intentionally, contrivedly, altered. The Church fabricated and then foisted beliefs on people. Always a conspiracy. Never just acceptance that this Nobody changed the world—and, still, changes people. I am by no means declaring our Savior a Nobody. He is without equal. He is Supreme. I am noting how He was viewed by His world. He was just a poor, Galilean carpenter, a want-a-be teacher. He was a nobody. But, none have ever had the impact He has had. I would say that most of us feel like nobodies. We should be encouraged that nobodies can make a difference. We can impact lives. Not like the evil nobody Lee Harvey Oswald, but like the good nobody Jesus Christ. It doesn’t take a conspiracy. Just a nobody.

It Just Takes A Nobody

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