Influence

My son just finished up a week of Vacation Bible School class that so far has been the highlight of his year. He would fuss at my wife and I if we arrived too early to pick him up because, according to him, missing the full amount of "circle time" at the end was unacceptable. On one of the last days of VBS my wife arrived to pick him up and, before he came to the door to the leave, one of the teachers informed my wife that when our son realized it was time to leave he exclaimed loudly, "Dangit!" She actually joked with my wife about that but it struck home to both of us that we don't want our son expressing such words. And where did he learn such a word?

From me, that's where.

It's no secret that kids are sponges who soak up whatever they experience in their environment. I may not be able to successfully lead my youngest in potty training and the fact that my kids can't seem to remember to pick up their clothes and toys typically frustrates the stew out of me, but they do "get it" with most of the things they see and hear. If they express bad habits or the words that come from their mouths are less than acceptable, I often have to look no farther than myself to discover the source of their behavior. That truly bothers me.

If you were to list those people that had the greatest influence in your life, would you immediately think of movie stars or recording artists or athletes, or do you realize that those you are closest to are the ones who have the major influence in your thoughts, decisions, and habits? No matter your position in life or your place in this world, people are watching you and are being influenced by how you live your life. Each one us carries an awesome responsibility to conduct ourselves in such a way that gives off an influence that honors Christ above all else.

Parents and adults, how are you influencing your children and the young people around you? We must be mindful to carefully gauge every word that flows from our lips, every action that we display towards each other as husband and wife, and every decision that influences our families. They are watching us carefully.

Students, are you aware of just how much your classmates and friends are observing your every move? Culture has a huge influence on our lives, but you are the very living embodiment of your own culture and you set the trends. Are you being careful to live such lives that point to Christ and not to what is simply popular? Like it or not, you are an influencer to those around you.

You simply cannot not influence other people. Handle that responsibility well.