Living a Life of True Influence
Mark 8:36- "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?"
Matthew 5:14-16- “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
In our world today, it is so common to define a person as “successful” and “influential” if they possess material achievements and social recognition. The bigger house, the fancier car, the vacations, the followers, the accolades, and our name and title finally etched on the office door glass and so on and so on...
Don’t get me wrong, in and of themselves these things are not bad. It’s when they become our identity, and we see ourselves as less than if we do not obtain them or using these same things to leverage people in our lives.
Living a Life of True Influence is realizing the meaning of our lives is not found in what we accumulate but in the sincere impact we leave on others. We are called to live as a light to the world around us, reflecting God’s nature in the way we serve, bringing illumination to our Father in Heaven. Every word, gesture and decision, an opportunity for us to point people to Him.
A true influencer isn’t measured by titles or numbers of followers, but by the quality of our daily actions displaying the love of Jesus. Every act of kindness, word of encouragement, choice made with integrity, can create a powerful impact. We become content in knowing that our lives are for His purpose, and our identity found in Him, leaving a lasting mark on people’s hearts.
Several years back when we were in Virginia, I remember meeting a young lady at a local diner. She was our waitress and had the most beautiful demeanor. Observing her, as she managed to meet the demands of multiple tables, she kept a pace that was tranquil yet steady. I watched as it brought peace to the people she served. There could have been an uproar of complaint not only on her part as she seemed to be overworked, but on the customer's part. As she approached our table, I explained to her what I had observed and that her actions were changing the atmosphere, influencing the lives around her. With her sweet smile, she gave all glory to Jesus, stating it wasn’t long ago, this would have looked totally different. She was confident that God placed her there to shine His light and it happens to be at a roadside diner.
❤️ There are SO many more stories I could share with you about the people I have met along the way. Some we get to encourage, and some are encouraging us.
But let us all ask ourselves at one time or another: “Can you tell where we have been? "What is the impact we are leaving?” and "Does it shine the light of Jesus for all to see and bring glory to HIM?” ~love u.
