Influence My World
By D’Lane Moore
Sometimes I wonder how it is that I can influence my world. I mean I am a stay at home mom who is potty training, sweeping floors, and folding clothes. My prayer has always been that God would use me to change the nations for his glory. It does not really seem like God could possibly be answering that prayer in my current situation, or could He? I mean this is God I am talking about!
I have recently been thinking about people God uses to change the nations I have thought of well-known people like one of Lorraine’s favorite singers, Steven Curtis Chapman, and I have been thinking of lesser-known people like my grandparents. My dad’s parents raised 5 kids. They were nothing special as far as the world is concerned. My grandmother was a mom and house wife, my grandfather worked in a factory and ran a small farm, but my grandparents loved Jesus with their whole heart. They certainly bossed their hearts with his word and in his presence, but did they change the nations? Well in their retirement years my grandparents traveled around and helped build churches, churches where men, women, and children of all cultures have come to hear the gospel, but more than that my grandparents raise my dad. My dad chose to start following Jesus at a young age and God has used him to influence youth of many nations. I have an African “sister”, a girl who is from Kenya, but lived in our house for 2 years and served along side us in ministry. My dad is a director at a camp who actively seeks to mentor and disciple college students, not only from America, but from other nations as well, such as Colombia. Even when I was in high school the exchange students who came to our school were always welcome in our house and given special treatment at church. Because of my grandparents influence in my dad’s life the nations have been changed, in a small way, for God’s glory! Wow!
All this reflecting has made me think about who it is in my life that I might be influencing- a neighbor, a girl at the gym, another mom at story time, a co-worker of my husband’s- you never know. But how? How can I influence others to open their hearts up to Christ? To take a chance on bossing their heart?
Look at Matthew 5:14-16
Did you catch that last part? “By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”
I may not get the chance to stand on a stage and proclaim Christ to the world, or travel to another country to hold an orphan in my arms, but I do get chances everyday to open myself to others. I can choose to share my life, my home, and my resources with others. I can share with them why I do what I do. I can make sure they know that I have been given so much by a generous Father in heaven that I can not help but want to give to others.
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for this encouraging word. I confess it is easier said than done. Help us to be the light-bearers you have called us to be. Help us to keep an open house, being open and generous with others. Use us to prompt people to open up with you. I know that you are a generous Father that desires to be the boss of every heart of every nation so that they can experience the extravagant love you have for each of us.
Jesus, you are worthy of our lives! We love you! Help us love you even more! For you glorious name sake,
Amen
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