Today as I was checking my Facebook, I realized that I have over 500 friends. I thought that seemed like a lot and checked and but for a few, I know the people are my "friends." I don't say this to brag about some arbitrary number of friends I have for social networking, but I was taken aback. I didn't know that I had connections with that many people. It made me realize that my sphere of influence is a lot greater than I thought. Again, not an arrogant thought, but a challenge that I have some sort of influence at some level (no matter how minute) on that many people. One of the definitions of influence from Webster is an "emanation of spiritual or moral force." Another definition is "the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways." We have an influence on all people that we come in contact with.
Maybe what's important here is not how many people we influence, but the fact that we have the capacity to influence people (as a moral force) to or for Christ. If our words and actions have a negative effect, whether directly or indirectly, we deter the cause of Christ and negatively sway people away from Him. If we are careful and purposeful in our words and actions, we have the power to sway people toward Jesus. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me (John 12:32).
Just think - if all of us Christians, used our "influence" to "cause an positive effect" on all the people in our lives, we would literally turn the world upside down. That's what the twelve disciples did. They used the influence, the power, that Jesus placed in them and spread the Good News around the world. We have this same power, this same capacity in us. We can affect people around us in so many ways, directly and indirectly. It's a sobering thought to know that we can sway someone to or away from Jesus.
Maybe what's important here is not how many people we influence, but the fact that we have the capacity to influence people (as a moral force) to or for Christ. If our words and actions have a negative effect, whether directly or indirectly, we deter the cause of Christ and negatively sway people away from Him. If we are careful and purposeful in our words and actions, we have the power to sway people toward Jesus. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me (John 12:32).
Once again I am struck by the maturity and force of your words. Thanks for this blog. It is an inspiration.
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