The Power of Influence

This is a little different for me, so let me just clarify right off the bat- this is not a post to comment on whether I think Colin Kaepernick is right or wrong. Please don’t misunderstand me- it is not my job to judge another person’s actions, so that is not the goal here. The goal is to talk about influence.

Sometimes the things you try to stand up for, and the decisions you make don’t seem to have any impact at all. The things that grate at your heart and lead you to spend hours dreaming of strategies to fix them fall flat. No one notices. No one cares. Far too often, no one even acknowledges the things that we believe so strongly in. Whether they be simple small changes like a decision to eat a piece of fruit today or huge changes like wanting to affect racism in America, things matter to us that sometimes don’t seem to touch others at all. I was thinking last night about the random groups, ideas, and projects I have created over the years. I counted 14 of them, but not one exists today because I couldn’t get anyone else to care about any of them! Sometimes the decisions you make affect you and you only and don’t seem to change anything. But sometimes the simple things you do will amazingly reach millions, and whether people agree with you or not, that has incredible power when you are given that degree of influence.

I am from a fairly small town, and my mother will often call me to ask if I remember so and so- “Remember your substitute teacher’s third step-child’s cousin?” “No mom, I honestly do not remember them.” “Well, they remember you!” It’s amazing how many times she’s told me that, but even more amazing to me is that she always seems to have a reason why. “Well, she was in a dance with you when you were ten and she was 5 years old, and she says she couldn’t figure out one of the steps, and you helped her.” And I just listen back in silence and amazement. Because it was just a simple moment, just a simple decision, just a simple action I honestly can’t even remember. But for whatever reason, it spoke mountains to that child and has stayed with her for twenty years. Sometimes you impact yourself. Sometimes you impact one. And sometimes you impact millions. But regardless of how many eventually come to know your goals- were you willing to step out and make that decision, or not? You can’t affect millions if you won’t even stand for one.

So often I meet people who think they have nothing to offer- they aren’t in charge of their company, they’re “just a student,” they are not an official leader of anything. But the truth is, we all have an audience whether we want to admit it or not. A cousin, a child, a coworker, a janitor, a stranger- we all have multiple people that are watching the simple things we do, and say, and fight for, and stand for. We all have an influence- a collection of people who notice, whether they ever say it or not. They can be encouraged to stand themselves, fired up and angry to fight a different way, or lock arms and join the struggle with us. But you may never know how far your influence actually goes until you are willing to stand (or, I guess, sit?).

So what about you? You’ve got a voice, and a group of people around you that are watching and listening for both the huge life changing movements and simple decisions you make every day. What do you do to stand up for the things that matter in your life? Even if no one notices? Even if you did it wrong? Even if they’re excited or angry or offended? It’s easy to blame and question and point fingers at someone else for the decisions they made. It’s much harder to stand by yourself and fight for your own. Are you taking your chances to stand up against injustice in your life? What are you fighting for in your sphere of influence that only you can do?  What has God laid on your heart that you need to ask Him for the wisdom and the courage and the influence to walk into?  Will you stand even for just one?

 

Philippians 4:8-9- “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”