Consider the effect of a rudder on a ship. Even the slightest of movement alters the ship’s trajectory and destination.
The influence we have on others — be it ever so small — is like that. It adjusts the rudder of another person’s life. It alters the direction their going and where they’ll end up.
The burning question, then, is this: what influence do we want to have? Have you ever asked yourself that — something like — by the time I’m crawling into bed tonight, what influence do I want to have had on others today?
A second question is equally important: what about us does the most influencing? Or let me put it this way, what about us determines how much influence the Holy Spirit can have on others through us?
Three things come to mind.
First, the Spirit's influence through us is determined by the extent to which we are true to the good things we resolve or commit ourselves to do. In other words, the amount of self-discipline we practice greatly affects the flow of the Spirit’s influence.
Consider the greatest act of self-discipline ever achieved and then reflect on the incommensurable impact it had:
Mark 14:33-36
33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” 35 He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.”
Everything in Jesus wanted to yield to walking away from taking to himself the sins of the whole world and the resulting separation from his Father. He was so tempted to cave into it that the war within generated bloody sweat. But he had made a promise to God when he came into the world. He said, “‘Here I am — it is written about me in the scroll — I have come to do your will, my God.’” (we read that in Hebrews 10:5ff) And because he kept his promise, you and I and the whole world can be saved. That’s the incalculable influence effected by Jesus’ doing what he said he would do.
Secondly, prayer is a mighty instrument of influence in this world. In James 5:16b we read, “The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.” A “righteous” person is simply someone who lives in active dependance upon God. And the amount of praying we do reveals how much we’re depending on God. That’s what makes prayer so influential. God always responds to anyone who is depending on him, and wonderful stuff happens.
Thirdly, our attitude towards others greatly influences them. Have you noticed how a bad attitude all but cancels a good deed? or how a good attitude stays with us in spite of a person’s bumbling effort? In a sense, our attitude speaks louder than our words or actions. I’m persuaded that people intuitively pick up on what we think of them beyond what we say or do. And I’m equally convinced that when people feel valued by us because we know they are precious to God, it has a profound influence on them. It taps the rudder in their lives and alters their life’s trajectory and destination.
Promise keeping, prayer, and an affirming attitude, give rise to enormous influence.
