Power of Influence

You have the power of influence. If you think your life doesn't matter, consider this: It's estimated that 10,000 or more people will pass under your influence during your lifetime. Those people will then influence thousands more. Now think about this: One life dedicated to Christ can touch hundreds of thousands of people with the Gospel.

 

We all impact the lives of others — either for good or evil. In the beginning, Satan influenced Eve. Eve influenced Adam, and they influenced all of mankind. Look how that turned out! 

 

As followers of Christ, we influence others by the way we live. When we profess Jesus as Lord of our lives, people begin to take notice. They're watching us! If we want to have a strong influence for the Lord, we should be careful how we talk, how we do business and how we live. We should make sure we're living how the Bible instructs us to live.

 

In Matthew 5, Jesus says we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. But what does it mean to be the salt and light?

 

Just as salt is used as a preservative in food, we preserve God's moral law by living lives that are holy. Jesus expects us to take a stand against sin, immorality and the exploitation of the unborn. He commands us to take care of orphans and widows. As the "salt of the earth," we can attract others to a life free from sin and committed to Christ.

 

Jesus also tells us we are the light of the world. When we live our lives according to God's Word, we provide light to the rest of the world. Jesus is the true light of the world. He has ignited a light in the life of each of his followers. Our job is not to hide the light. Rather, we should shine so others may see the light and come to God.

 

You do have the power of influence, so be careful how you live. Remember, you may be the only Bible some people will ever read!