You Have Influence

 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

In my bible reading today, I came across a quote in the commentary that said, “Someone in your home is following in your footsteps. Where are you leading them?”

Instantly, I thought of my granddaughters and felt a deep responsibility for the way I live my life. I remembered how one weekend, when they stayed over, the youngest asked me to curl her hair just like mine. Another memory was of the oldest asking me to teach her how to make cookies.

While these two examples may seem trivial, the truth is that they are watching what I do, and they are learning from me. What am I teaching them? What am I teaching them about God? What am I demonstrating to them about what a relationship with Christ is like?

For Easter, I purchased each of them a new bible. They had both recently been baptized, and I hoped that they would develop a love for God’s Word and have a vibrant personal relationship with Him. But then I thought, who’s going to teach them to read His word? Whose going to teach them to pray? God instantly told me that it would be me.

How are they to know unless they are taught, and that teaching also needs to come by example. I can tell them to read their Bibles, but if they see me making it a priority to read and study mine, it will have a greater impact on them. I can ask them to pray, but praying with them will teach them that they can talk to God about anything, and they will learn that God hears them.

So, we started having bible studies each morning when they spend time with me. We sit together with our hot chocolate and coffee, and take turns reading from their Action Bible. The pictures add to the excitement and give us plenty of opportunities to discuss what’s taking place and how it relates to their own lives. We also pray together, and they are encouraged to pray for themselves and others.

I don’t see them every week, and I don’t think at this point that they are studying and praying on their own, but what I do know is that God gives me moments when I can be of great influence in their lives, and one day, I will answer to Him about how I used that time. In the meantime, He is working in their lives and will be faithful to complete what He started in them.

Thank you, Lord, for the bold reminder that we are all teachers and preachers to those around us by the lives that we live. We may have a very small circle of influence, but we are affecting someone either for good or for bad. We are either pointing people to you or away from you. Let it be towards you, Lord.