Authentic and Influential.

“Don’t be so well-adjusted to your culture as to fit in without thinking.” Romans 12:2 Message

“Be proactive in daily situations and friendships in a purposeful and positive manner.”

My thoughts today are about “authentic and influential.”

Jesus described this being the “salt of the earth and the light of the world.” Both have a potential for influence and make a noticeable difference, but only when placed in a context for effecting change. Salt flavors, preserves, or purifies, and light brightens what should be seen and always reveals what darkness would hide. That is influence. Influence is your ability to daily impact the circle of relationships and responsibilities God gives you with positive affect for eternity.

You either are an influence in the world and friendships that daily surround you, or those are influencing you. You must be proactive in your daily situations and friendships in a purposeful and positive manner, or you will merely adjust to them by default by doing nothing to counteract that.

A good illustration is the difference between a thermometer that merely measures and reflects the surrounding climate, and a thermostat that has the power to affect, change, and regulate its climate. When you buy things others buy, say things others say, and value things others value without consideration of your own, which one are you being?

Jesus prayed for His disciples “not that they should be taken out of the world, but that they would be kept from the world.” John 17. In the world, but not of the world. I recall my Dad warning the people he pastored that it was possible to be “too earthly minded to be of any heavenly good, or too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good.” Both are without influence. Neither is wise.

I have been told that the word, “authentic,” comes from the Greek word “to author.” You are authentic and will have spiritual influence when you read God’s original script for your life and let your own story be His story, not just a copy someone else’s.

My prayer for you today is: be authentic, just the wonderful way God made you.