It is said that some people light up a room when they enter it, and then there are some people who light up a room when they leave. There are also those who will light it neither way, they come and go with no impact.
I think we each leave an influence on everyone we come in contact with. Some of us will encourage, inspire or brighten the day of those we come in contact with.
Some of us will depress, repel or darken the day of those we come in contact with.
Then some of us will not effect others in any way. We neither encourage or depress – we just sort of become part of the backdrop in their observation.
As a Christian my influence is also drawing people closer to God, further away from God, or I make no impact on their relationship with Jesus. Now I don’t know about you, but I consider it shame if I do not bring those in my influence closer to Jesus as a result of the things I say and do.
I told my son that when he takes his girlfriend out on a date he will influence her in one of these three ways. And she will also influence him in one of these three ways. When he drops her off she will have become closer to God, the same with God or further away from Him.
Daily we have opportunities to influence others with our social media presence, by passing people in a hallway, phone conversations, eating meals together and intentional time we give the people we love. I took time to consider this week how do I influence the people I come in contact with. It made me want to change the way I greet people, and also in the relationship building I do with my family.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”
What do you think? If we do not positively influence others toward Jesus then what good are we?