Fantastic Friday #336 - Influence

Influence

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ² Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. ³ For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. ⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.  Romans 15:1-4

Is there something about ourselves that gives us the inclination to focus only on what we need at times?  I look around and see the me-me culture, and I wonder how it has progressively gotten to the point that several in our society think only about what they are getting and not how they are influencing others.  I spoke with a friend this week about decisions in the work place and how it seems like a lot of times we have to do so much in order to make a change.  They talked about how there is a certain point in our immediate surroundings where we control what is going on and then we can influence others, but we can only influence to a certain extent and then it is in someone else's hands to address.  After this conversation it made me think that our focus should probably not be on ourselves, but the influence we can create for others and then let our Lord and Savior take it from there.  We cannot have a circle of influence without God guiding us.

Have a great weekend.