influence is a gift

Do you have influence? I bet you do. We influence the people that we are with. Maybe you influence your fellow employees at work or your neighbors in the culdesac. If you are on a sports team or a committee, you most likely have influence. If people come to you and tell you their story, you have influence. If you have been voted or elected to a certain position, you most certainly have influenced others. Recently, people are influencing through social media. Sometimes, however, we do not even recognize that we have been given the gift of influencing others. Recognize it and use your influence to help other people.

Don't use it to manipulate people.
Don't be harsh or narrow-minded. You will lose it.

Jesus had influence, yet he did not promote himself. He served others. He pointed people to his Father.

Leadership for the sake of leadership is futile if we are promoting ourselves or our cause. Our influence must be used to serve and to lovingly point people to truth.

And possibly our greatest area of influence--our homes. May we influence that priceless environment through peace, unconditional love, trust, joy and rest.