In primary school, there were two groups of people; those who were considered ‘leaders’ and those of us who were followers. Those of us who were followers usually got  bossed around, sent on errands and followed our leaders wherever they went. In fact, even during break time, when we were to play a game of ampe, you had to wait to be chosen to be part of a team whose leader was obviously one of the leaders. That’s how we rolled. It was a system we all understood and never thought of rebelling. That was not influence! 

During our final years in primary school and even onto junior high school, there were a certain few people I respected and admired. They topped the class and were teachers’ pets. They were the ones teachers called upon to read – they read too well. Their shoes and socks were always neat. I wanted to be like them so I spent time perfecting reading aloud at home. I decided to always have a shoe brush on hand to clear the dust of my shoes. In that period of my life, I was nearly a neat freak when it came to my shoes. That is influence. Without bossing me around or saying anything in particular to me, an effect was gradually produced in me without them being aware. 

Let me use this definition of influence from Merriam Webster dictionary: the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command.

I love this definition. Influence is a power that produces an effect without exerting obvious force. In other words, in influence there is a force at work though it is not a tangible one. Yet, it is effective in producing an effect. If we understand this, we will quickly be able to find that a lot of things influence us. Mostly, we cannot readily identify because it is that subtle. 

Just look at our world. There are thousands of voices speaking and throwing ideas into the air. Be rest assured one or the other will get to you. You are being influenced by what you expose yourself to. That being said, my goal today is to draw your attention to this: As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to be influenced and to influence. 

That seems contradictory, doesn’t it? Yet it is not. Our influence is not to be from the world systems we live in but the Kingdom System we are born again into. As believers, we have been called to first lean into and be transformed by the Kingdom we hail from. Only then can we qualify to influence the world system we live in. Trust me, you are powerless as a believer in this world if you have not been influenced by the Kingdom of God.

The Lord Jesus has called us out to be the salt of our earth (Matthew 5:13) and light of this world (Matthew 5:14). He also likened the Kingdom to yeast in a whole bunch of flour (Luke 13:21).

Consider carefully: First, are you being influenced by the Kingdom or by the World? Second, are you influencing your world? Are you producing the effect of the Kingdom right where you are?