What Can One Person Do?
What can one person do? More than you might think. A number of years ago, I had a chance to read about Johnny Hart when the newspapers reported his death and highlighted his life. Who was Johnny Hart? He was the cartoonist who drew B.C. and Wizard of Id. The article that gave the report spent time talking about how Hart was something of a controversial figure. Mr. Hart used his comic strips as a forum to spread the message of Christ. There were times when Hart’s comics were dropped and banned because of their religious message and tone. As an internationally known cartoonist, his cartoons were read by millions. Mr. Hart felt that God expected him to use his cartooning abilities as a ministry for Christ, yet it was not always this way for Johnny Hart.
While Hart describes his religious training as “C & E religion,” meaning that Christmas and Easter were the only days his family went. Even though he went to Sunday School sporadically as a child, he was not a Christian. He had a fascination for Bible stories, however. As a matter of fact, he was drawn to anything that had a spiritual side. It could be the Bible or Ouija boards, séances, and UFOs. It took moving to a secluded area of New York state for God to show Johnny Hart an open door. Mr. Hart bought 150 acres outside of Nineveh, New York. That secluded area had no cable television, and his television appetites demanded more channels than the “rabbit ears” could deliver. It was at this time that God got Johnny Hart’s attention. The father and son team that Mr. Hart hired to install satellite television at his home were Christians. Not only did this outspoken duo speak to Johnny Hart about Christ while they worked, but they also programmed as many religious stations on the Hart remote as possible. Because of this, Johnny Hart and his wife would watch some solid, Biblical preaching on their television.
In response to the Biblical influence, the Hart family started attending a small church in nearby Nineveh. The result was that Johnny Hart and his wife became Christians. They got involved with Christ and his church. Hart said that he had two ministries: “To proclaim Christ through my drawings and to teach Sunday School.” Did that father and son team realize what seed they were planting? Did they know how many people would be affected by their labor for Jesus? Sometimes we wonder what one person can do. We wonder if it really makes a difference when we live daily for Jesus. The answer is that it matters very much when God is using each of us as His tool! Keep serving and keep looking up.