Influences

When we become Christians we begin a new kind of growth. It involves many things, but one I want to examine at this time is our influence on others. We encounter many people and it is critical to be aware of the way we influence them. Some common points of interest may be our worship habits, time spent at school, and time spent at extra curricular activities.As youngsters we often spend time playing sports. These activities teach us how to work as a team and improve our discipline. However, these activities have also proven to be the place of bad tempers and selfish attitudes. The umpire might make a bad call or the referee may miss an obvious penalty but this should hardly be severe enough to cause a Christian to fall. I have played many sports and I know that self-control in these situations is tough. In fact, it is so tough that very few people are able to do it. So Christians, here is a perfect opportunity to leave a lasting, positive impression on those around you. Strike out and keep your head up, get fouled and understand that those things happen, do something great and do not boast as if you are all powerful. And most importantly, continually pray that you are a positive influence on your peers.

Kids, by nature, also tend to spend a great deal of time at school. The number of people you are around every day presents even more trials and temptations than normal. It is commonly known that you shouldn't talk back to the teacher, curse, cheat, or be destructive to others property. But on a higher level of influence, consider what people will think about what you wear, your punctuality, respect for others, or whether you gossip about others. We bear witness to those around us with every thing we do and say (example: John 10:25).Another point of interest is the influence we have by our worship habits. The very definition of worship is ""to make obeisance, do reverence to"" (Vine's). If it is not in our heart then the Lord knows it, and those around you can often tell as well. This is a time to exhort one another and to be exhorted (Hebrews 10:25). Your beliefs constitute your life and your life is what influences those around you. First and foremost we want to please God (I Timothy 2:1-4), and this in turn will shine our light on those around us. We do not want to be responsible for bringing others down with poor worship habits (Heb 14:21).It is very helpful to be the same person no matter who is around. Consistency helps us avoid developing bad habits. Be mindful of what those around you will make of your actions. Please the Lord first and be as effective on those around you as possible. It is often stated that a picture is worth a thousand words, but likewise, one bad action could defile a thousand good actions. Non-Christians will look for something to use to pick apart Christians. This is what makes your influence so powerful. So continue to pray for a good influence on those around you and for their souls. Prayer is the only means we have to ask for this power and grace from God.