You Influence Others - Need Opinions, Please!

Today at 06:34 AM Blessed-one said this in Post #3
it's spot on with the two sayings of saltiness and light.

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Sorry, I don't understand this.  Could you explain?  Thanks!

maybe you can also add a bit on how Jesus has influenced the people in his time, or a christian of modern time (whether he/she be someone that everybody knows, or a person that nobody recognises) as an example of a christian influence.

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I posted a reply to this topic one minute after you posted your post.  What do you think about Eric Liddle?

 um.... who's your target audience? if it were teenagers, you can use examples from teenagers.

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"My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done;
Leave countless marks for good or ill, ere sets the evening sun.
This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray;
Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way."

The unknown author of this poem clearly stated the impact that our lives
have on others. We see from the very beginning of time the impact
that the serpent had on Eve, which led to her influence over Adam and
all mankind.

In the book of Judges, Delilah illustrates her influences over Samson for the power of evil. She captured Samson's affections and she wore down his resistance until he finally revealed the secret of his strength. Samson, the mightiest of Israel’s judges loved her. She influenced him day after day, pressing hard for the answers she was looking for, but later she betrayed Samson to the lords of the Philistine.

And just recently, thousands of lives were lost on September 11, 2001, because of the influence of one person - Osama Bin Laden.

I just mentioned three “bad” influences in the Bible and recent events. However, you don’t have to be a bad influence to others. Instead, you can be a good influence to the world.

For example, some of you may remember the film "Chariots of Fire," on the life of an Olympic runner Eric Liddell, who won a gold medal in the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. He was feted and hero worshipped for the rest of his life. Fan clubs were created. A Scout Troop was named after him. There was even a boy's comic book series that circulated. And so strong and lasting was his influence, that the film "Chariots of Fire" was made nearly sixty years after the 1924 Olympic Games.

The truth is that there were many famous other gold medallists from the Paris Games. But none of those personalities glowed with such a power in the public's mind. Why?
The answer was because Eric Liddell refused to run on a Sunday. Eric was favored to win the 100 meters race, but the first qualifying heat was scheduled for a Sunday. He would not run on Sunday.

Later, Eric was summoned before the Olympic Board members. This group implied that Eric was disloyal to his country. They insisted he must change his mind and run the qualifying heat on that Sunday… But he refused..

Another example would be of two bicycle repairmen in Dayton, Ohio, who dreamed of flying. They went to the Dayton Public Library and checked out a book on the life and works of a German man named Lilienthal, who had succeeded in flying a glider. The two men were named Orville and Wilbur Wright. They began to explore all the possibilities of heavier-than-air flight. Almost everyone knows that in 1903 their dream became reality when they flew for the first time at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and launched the space age. But it was the influence of Lilienthal, and others, who inspired the Wright brothers to try the impossible.

We all have an influence on others, whether you are a teacher, a mom, a dad, a sister, a brother, or some other kind of leader - the question is, are you a good or bad influence?

Jesus says, in Matthew 5:13:
“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except
to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

In that passage, Jesus uses the illustration of salt. The reason we add salt to our food is to enhance the taste. If salt is not salty, it is worthless, because the main value of salt is its saltiness. In the same way, if you add a Christian influence in society, the society should be more Christ-minded. But, if you have Christians who are not Christ-minded or Christ like in their behaviors and attitudes, what good will they be to anyone? They have lost their saltiness, their purpose for living.

Jesus continues in Matthew 5:14-16 saying:
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put
It on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good
Deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”

In this second passage, Jesus uses the illustration of light. We all know that light gets rid of darkness. Darkness cannot dwell where light is present. Take a flashlight at night, when you shine the flashlight, it gives you the ability to see wherever you point it at, so that you don’t run into something and do yourself or others harm. Even though you cannot see further than close in front of you, someone may be able to see the light of your flashlight from a great distance away - even though you cannot see them.
That is the way your influence is on other people. You may never be able to see who is influenced by your “light”, but others can see your influence, your testimony.

Whether we realize it or not, we all have an influence on others. We must therefore ask ourselves this, "What kind of influence do I have on others? Is it for good or for ill?" We must never minimize the power of influence for either good or evil. Long after we are dead and gone, our influence will live on.

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