Do you know the influence you have?

Three things that can help you make a difference in the world around you as you respond to God’s direction.

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I was listening again to Professor Keith Brown in his session ‘Discover Purpose, Build Trust, Lead Well’ and was struck by the way God has given each of us the opportunity to influence and impact the world around us.

Professor Brown is based at Bournemouth University and is director of the National Centre for post-qualifying Social Worker and Professional Practise. He is an author, thought leader, speaker and academic. I really enjoyed having a little bit of time with him earlier on this year at our flagship event ‘Stronger 2021’.

A few things particularly stood out to me as he described his journey to faith and how the influence of those around him were integral to that journey. He said:

 ‘I look back at my life, and all the things I've achieved, all the things I've done …  if it wasn't for those people I … wouldn't have had that Christian influence. And I want to say to those folks working in Sunday schools and youth work … you never know the influence that you're having. You never know the impact that you will have on the world through the people that you're caring for and praying for ... somebody was faithful to their calling to help me’.

1.Invest in those around you

There were one or two Sunday school teachers that took time to invest in Keith Brown when he was younger. They invited him along to an event. They spent time investing in him. It’s the same pattern we see in the New Testament. Jesus’ encouragement to those early Christians in Acts 1.8 was to go out and be witnesses in ‘Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth’. Think about the early church expansion in that first 30 years after Jesus rose again. Paul and other church planting missionaries were sent out and they established leaders and church plants as communities of faith who invested in the people from their local towns and communities. We see some of this in the disciple Andrew who was the first to tell his brother Simon Peter about Jesus (John 1.41).  Maybe there are people around you that you’re praying for and caring for and to whom you are salt and light today? Who are the people God has put in front of you to love as your neighbour?

2.Step out in faith

I have recently been energised by the story of Ananias in Acts 9. He had a vision from the Lord and was instructed to go and proclaim the word of God to Saul of Tarsus who was a very aggressive persecutor of the church in those early days. Even though Saul (later to become St Paul) had met the risen Jesus and was ready to put his faith and trust in him, it would have taken a lot of courage for Ananias to go and speak to Saul. You can see this from verse 13, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem….’. Both from Professor Brown’s account and from scripture, God is encouraging us to step out in faith. It may feel a bit uncomfortable, but God goes before you. What does that look like for you today? Maybe it’s an idea that God has placed on your heart and you need to step out and trust? Perhaps God is encouraging you to make a difficult decision but you know it’s the right one. Whatever it is, step out in faith because God is faithful.

3.Keep going

It can be hard to see the impact that you’re having especially when there might not be any discernible change in front of you. It can be like that when investing in those around you. Maybe you’re mentoring someone or coaching them. Perhaps you’re discipling someone or praying for opportunities to share some of God’s love amongst your family or share something of God’s kingdom in your particular industry. Keep going. Perseverance is one of those great Christian virtues that shapes our character by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1.6). Don’t give up. Don’t get discouraged, and you may find that your prayer and perseverance produces some incredible fruit as it did with Ananias investing in Paul, as it did with Andrew passing on the news to Peter, and as it did with those Sunday school teachers wanting the best for Professor Keith.

Wherever God has called you, God has placed you in community (whether family, friends, neighbourhood, network, workplace). He has given you a platform to share something of God’s love in Christ, and as you do, don’t forget the influence you have through the small and mundane, through the large and impossible. Through those micro-acts of boldness. He goes before you.