What do Jesus Christ, Mikhail Gorbachev and Adolf Hitler have in common?
These three are among the top ten "100 People Who Changed the World," according to biographyonline.net.
Jesus, as Teacher and Messiah, changed history forever, and His life, death and resurrection continue to impact lives - a surprising legacy from a man who appeared to be the son of a poor carpenter, hung out with fishermen, and preached in an isolated corner of a huge empire.
Mikhail Gorbachev was a Soviet leader who introduced Perestroika (reform that brought greater efficiency, accountability and flexibility to the Soviet economy) and Glasnost (political reform leading to a more democratic society with greater intellectual and religious freedoms). His wife, Raisa Gorbachev, went on to become an influential figure in international relationships as well as a trusted adviser to her husband, who discussed "all important issues" with her first. Together, their political successes set the stage for the end of the Cold War and for the fall of the Soviet Union he loved and served.
Adolf Hitler, of course, is one of the most infamous dictators in history, whose ambitions led to the tragedy of World War II and the death of millions who perished in the Holocaust. If anyone in history deserved to be called a hater, it is Adolf Hitler. He died by his own hand, leaving his nation and a continent in ruins.
Gorbachev and Hitler were men with enormous ambitions, one who had a vision for democracy and the other, a vision for a thousand-year empire. They had big plans which changed the lives of millions, one for the better and one for the worse.
Jesus changed millions of lives too, but not because of His skill as a politician. Instead of joining up with the Jewish authorities, Jesus infuriated them until they got Him arrested and executed. Just before He was killed, He told Pontius Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world." Instead of delivering His people from Roman domination, Jesus got Himself killed on a cross. His political career was a total failure. He left some nice quotes, but no one expected Jesus Bar-Joseph to make the Top Ten list of People Who Changed the World.
So why do we remember Him as a big game-changer?
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