Influence

“Then the officers will also say, ‘Is anyone here afraid or worried? If you are, you may go home before you frighten anyone else.’ Deuteronomy 20:8

The Israelites were nearing their entrance into the Promised Land. The land was occupied, so many battles awaited them, and a lot of the people had little experience with fighting. Moses tells the people that if a soldier going into battle and is afraid, he should go home. The influence of fear would multiply, making others afraid. Soldiers full of fear were not ready for battle. This negative influence of fear was a dangerous thing, so the officers needed to make sure it was removed.

Influence is a powerful picture found throughout the Bible. The influence spreads, multiplies, never stopping with one individual.

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”

But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”

Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”

Numbers 13:30-14:2

Twelve spies were sent to the Promised Land to check out the country. Caleb and Joshua came back seeing the positive, ready to do battle, as they had faith that God was on their side. However, ten spies came back negative and full of fear. The fear and negativity multiplied among the people, and their “voices rose in a great protest against Moses and Aaron.” The influence of the ten spies drowned out the positive message of the two spies. The emotions of the ten spilled over on the multitudes causing everyone to unify against their leadership and God.

As Acts begins, the followers of Jesus are together, after just witnessing the death and resurrection of Jesus. The door was locked, and they were afraid. Jesus had just been crucified, and as followers their lives were at great risk. At this moment in time, influence could have taken the people either direction. Fear and negativity could have dis-banded the believers. But, Peter courageously stands and promotes unity and obedience to Christ.

During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.” Acts 1:15-17

Peter stood up among the 120 believers and began leading. He broke the fear, the silence and started influencing them to follow Christ. The unity of those 120 believers started a fire that spread to Paul, arguably the greatest missionary that ever lived, who had a great word about influence.

And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

Nothing impressed influence on me more than when I was fishing with my son, when he was about four. I sat down on the ground, crossed my legs, and held my fishing pole in my lap. I looked about ten yards away, and my son was in the exact same posture as me. He was studying his dad’s every move. A simple moment impressed on my mind forever the power of influence on my son. I long to live 1 Corinthians 11:1 for him.

Today, we are being influenced and influencing. Make no mistake, news, social media, national media, family, friends, kids, all the messages around us are influencing us. And this influence never stops with one person, but multiplies like a fire. The company we keep matters. The company we keep, the messages we hear, impact others.

Let the influence of the Bible drown out the fear, the negativity, the hopelessness that is easily multiplied and promote faith, confidence, and belief that God is good and in control. And, let this influence flow to those around you.

Let your legacy of influence impact others and the world for good.

Impact others. Live generously.

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