In order to be a powerful influence

Who influences you? Who do you influence? What is influence?

YOU are an influencer – how do I know – keep reading

From a Faith perspective: As the salt of the earth and light of the world. Sins of the heart, such as angry insults and intentional lust, are worthy of hell just as much as adultery and murder. Believers should not seek revenge. Instead, God intends us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. In short, we should strive to be perfect, as God is perfect.

What is influence: Influencing is about understanding yourself and the effect or impact you have on others. Your ability to influence others can empower people.

How do I influence? Here are some examples of how.

1. Give them what they want. If you want to influence people, then you need to give people what they exactly want. ...

2. Make others feel important. ...

3. Connect with emotions. ...

4. Empower them. ...

5. Respect other people's opinion. ...

6. Show sympathy.

1 Corinthians 12:2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

When you consider who you actually influence you might be surprised. You never know who is watching, who is looking, who is listening. I bet there is not one of us out there who has not accidentally said something out loud and then thought – opps there are ears listening who might not need to hear that. Do we realize how much our children watch us? Even if they are adults, they still watch – we still influence. I will tell you I’m no spring chicken but I still look at my Dad and Pop for influence – now I gotta say this – if it’s about Golf, never mind, I’m just not going there.

YOU are an influencer – infl-U-encer yes you are!

Years ago I had three people in my prayers for salvation who are family members. One of those is my Pop. He knows a lot about everything. He is book smart and street smart. In the time I’ve been part of his family he has run a hospital, sold trucks, and supplied large computer systems to hospitals and more. He reads a lot, he is interested in so many things it would be hard to list them all here. You get the picture. I need to say this too though, I’m not just calling him smart because he is my Pop, he genuinely is super smart, I’m really lucky my Mom saw and appreciated it too so she married him. So I’d been praying for him to click in to the faith thing, to really get it and claim it.

When Mom got sick many things changed about the two of them and faith. Mom pressed in hard to faith and knew it was God and God alone that would keep her alive as long as possible. I believe she also trusted Him to keep her pain free. During this time there were new and fun traditions going on. Mom had a Jesus Calling book which is a brief few minute read each day and some scripture at the bottom. So every night before she went to bed everyone who was in the house piled in their room and the daily devotional got read.

Going to stop here and mention – talk about influence. I know one night I was there for this tradition I was one of twenty-three people in that room. I don’t know if all of them are or were believers but that time was powerful and I pray just the brief quality message would give them something to consider. I believe it influenced plenty. I could not stop myself from getting emotional that something simple like this little devotional could plant a seed. Oh how much I hoped it did.

So faith had become a priority to them. They talked more about God too. She was pretty much home bound so there was not “going” to church. The nearest church was right up the road and the Pastor there was a really sweet man who sometimes helped them with computer things. He talked to Mom lots during her illness. They decided her service would be at his church and since he agreed after Mom passed Pop decided to try out his church. A year of solid study (he read the Bible cover to cover) and going to church and on the following year – Christmas Eve – he said the prayer of Salvation. (pause for celebration). Not long after this he called me on a Saturday and told me he was getting baptized that day. I immediately emailed Pastor Massey and asked for photos. What a blessing for him to attend, say the prayer and now baptized. I had a conversation with him and was talking about his influence on our family. He was very unsure. Seemed like he was not feeling like a learned Christian. My quick point to him was that he had a ton of influence on our family as patriarch and that him being smart and understanding, that he knew faith was real, God is real, God is good -is the right kind of influence. Again, he was not sure but here is the key – and I told him this –

God does not call the equipped – he equips the called.

I am not sure there has ever been a completely prepared pastor – maybe Billy Graham but I can’t think of any others and I’ve seen some downright gifted speakers and Pastors in my life so far. I mean men and women who could preach the paint off the walls, and get up and do it again the next day. Anointed and anyone who was there could tell you, they had some Jesus. These men and women are certainly called to do the jobs they do. You can just tell in some of them how much they love it and press in to it too.

The whole reason I believed Pop would be influential is because he is street smart and book smart and if he understood and believed that faith is not just a trend instead its knowing there is something to this faith thing. It’s not just some guy in the sky…now I will tell you that he has questions and so do I this far down the road. In those cases we both seek out Godly wisdom and find out the answers.

So who do you influence? Are you using your influence to further the kingdom? You may not know it but you are an influencer. You might not realize it but people watch, people see, they hear and are aware of you. What you do, what you say, what you stand for. Good or bad you have the power of influence. What are U doing with your influence?

By the way, he started going to this church in 2012 and still goes, never misses a Sunday. He loves his church family and friends. I can also tell you, he shares his faith and is an influencer! I was not wrong.

Dear Heavenly Father – Thank You for the influencers in my life that lead the charge and get it done. Thank You for my time to influence, please let it help and enhance always. Thank You for my Pop as an influencer and all the ones he has and will reach. In Jesus Most precious Name - AMEN