By Joseph J. Bucci ——Bio and Archives--May 20, 2024
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I stood behind a table filled with literature, while hundreds of people milled around the large hall. This was our semi-annual college preview evening, and myself and other departments from the college were answering questions from potential new students and their parents. Many potential students were invited to visit the college, and were surveying the various tables and literature available, grabbing candy treats and other freebees sitting among the piles of literature.
As I stood at my post, many parents with their bashful students would walk up, take some candy, maybe ask some questions and then move on to the next table. One young lady came by and stood silently in front of the table for a short while, scanning all the material. She was with several other young women her age, with no parents nearby. I asked her if she was interested in finding out more about the Major programs in our department. She told me that she was already a Business student at the college, and so I smiled even more broadly than I had when she first came up. How exciting to meet one of our new students! I do not get to meet each student, and when I do I like to affirm their choice of major in our department.
While speaking with the student, she stopped and pointed at some books that were displayed on the table. I brought copies of my book Redemption Inc. along to fill out some of the literature we had on the table. She asked me if that book on the table was a book that I had written. I again smiled and confirmed that I was the author. The young lady beamed back at me and exclaimed, “I loved that book!” I was choked up with emotion for a few seconds as I received her joyful response. My one life’s effort had made a positive difference in the life of this young woman, and I couldn’t be more grateful!
When I wrote the book, it was a labor of love telling stories about people who had gone through what I called “redemptive interventions.” The book was written to highlight those individuals from many different backgrounds who had a common experience: they had failed in some way or were facing a life controlling problem. They needed help overcoming that problem, and God used an agency or coach or some level of support to help them turn their lives around.
The book was also meant to challenge businesses to complete this “cycle of redemption” by providing employment for these redeemed persons to pursue their gifts and calling. There was evidence that these renewed employees were more loyal and committed workers, who show great appreciation to their employers when given the opportunity to start over.
I wrote the book because I fell in love with the stories of these individuals who overcame the odds. I also hoped that I might get this message out to a larger audience with whom the message of these redemptive interventions would resonate. Every author believes that they have written the next great work of fiction or nonfiction as the case may be. But the reality is that the average self-published book author sells about 250 books (Rizzo, 2023). After an investment in marketing, several podcast interviews and book signings around the area, I was doing a little better than average, but not making my mark on the literary world.
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When I remember back to that night and the response of the young lady when I told her that I had written that book I get choked up, because of the significant impact that my efforts had on one young person. I hope that with anyone who reads my books or articles or research that they might see Jesus’ power of redemption at work in this one life; and that there are lessons being learned about offering second chances that they will take with them into whatever future path they find themselves following.
One life can make a difference. Your life can make a difference. It depends on how you choose to live it. I thought that living my life as a church planter and senior Pastor would have a great impact. This decision would have positive benefits in the long-term, but hurt my wife with the many hours spent away from our young growing family. Then I thought that a successful career in corporate Human Resources would provide the most impact I could have in people’s lives. We hired a lot of people, and we helped them find work and success on their jobs. That was certainly incredibly meaningful to me. But maybe it was the heart operation that caused me to be more reflective about my life, and how God had given me more time to proclaim His Name and His redemptive work through my teaching and writing. Now everything I write has meaning, and reflects the redemptive power of God to take this one life and speak life into souls that are lost, confused or unsure about the future.
One life can make a difference. Jesus proved that on the cross. His life made a difference for all of us. This is how Eugene Peterson wrote about it, in his paraphrase of the New Testament called The Message: “Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right” (Romans 5:18-19 The Message).
Those of us who have been affected by the life of Jesus have been given the opportunity to demonstrate the redemptive power of Christ in our lives, as we reflect Jesus’ redemptive work. Those of us who have been forgiven much are “very, very grateful” (Luke 7:47 The Message) and long to make evident the wonderful work of God in each of our interactions. As the songwriter wrote, “Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be ‘til I die” (Cowper, 1772). This is certainly true for this one life—how about yours?
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Joseph J. Bucci has served as a Pastor, Author, HR Director, Director of Training, Professor and Consultant. His latest book, Redemption Inc. was published in 2022. Contact Dr. Bucci at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).