Updated March 14, 2024

To see the list of the blog posts in this series, click here.  Now as we continue exploring the theme of United Within, the focus is on the effects of influence.

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.”  (Proverbs 4:5)

Everybody influences someone else – either for good or for bad; and we are even influenced by our own words. As we struggle within ourselves, when we are looking for answers, many times the words we heard prior to the struggle and the advice we received even in unrelated circumstances come back to our memories with such clarity.

It is important that with God’s help we can correctly decipher all of what we have heard and seen. Also we need to be aware of our influence on others. Being our ‘brother’s keeper’ means we are also alert to how we influence others. Will our words and actions help others when they are going through their struggles?

As God’s people we realize every word and every action will count for something. Let us resolve to live for God. So as we go forward, we can:

• confront our fears in God’s power;
• have a correct view of the external;
• have a correct view of ourselves;
• embrace an optimistic and joyful attitude;
• take responsibility for our actions;
• let God be the leader of our lives;
• expect God to do in our lives what He has said that He would do;
• maintain an even-tempered attitude, keep calm and utilize our energies productively; and
• be aware of the influence others have on us and the influences we have on others and on ourselves.

Question: How have your influences affected your decision making in the past?  What strategies can you put in place to be positively affected by the influences around you?

The next blog post will be on ‘Response’.