The power of influence

In my sermon yesterday I talked about the power of influence. My text came from the story of the woman at the well. After her encounter with Jesus she returned to her village a transformed person. She told all who would listen about her encounter with a Jewish man at the well, and how He had changed her life. Many in the village went to see Jesus for themselves, and when they returned to the village many of them were professing Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.

But what would have happened if the woman had not shared her story with anyone? No doubt, some would notice that she was a changed woman, but they would not know how the change occurred. It was her testimony, her influence, that caused others to believe in Jesus Christ.

You and I have influence over other people. That influence may be negative or positive, but we do influence the ones with whom we come in contact. People watch what we say, they watch what we do, and those words and actions have influence.

Chances are you became a Christian because of someone's influence in your life. It may have been a parent, a spouse, a co-worker, a child or someone with whom you had a casual acquaintance, but there was something they said, something they did or the way they carried themselves that made you think there might be something to Christianity. You began to explore the claims of Christ for yourself until one day you came to believe in Jesus Christ and came to a personal faith.

Now, as Christians, we have an obligation to influence others. Jesus said we are to be the light of the world. The word translated light means a reflected light. We are to let the light of Jesus Christ shine through us so others will be drawn to Him.

Studies show that the average Christian will not lead a single person to faith in Christ in his or her lifetime. We hide our light. We only let it shine in church but not in public. As a result, many will never have the opportunity to trust in Jesus Christ.

It is a sobering thought that of all the methods God could have chosen to spread the Good News about Him, He chose to use imperfect people like you and me. It is also a sobering thought to realize that we may be the only person who can influence someone to explore the claims of Jesus Christ and come to faith in their own lives.

Who are you influencing today?