In an age when human hearts and minds face unprecedented exposure to large-scale suffering, I often find myself feeling paralyzed and powerless, angry at my own inability to effect sweeping lasting change towards freedom, justice, and mercy.

It's a humbling realization to accept the limitation of human will, and yet as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean." There are likely many wars not started because someone did sweep in front of his one door. He or she did perform any number of small acts of goodness within their circle of influence, and maybe that's the difference that ultimately matters.