How can we be an influence?
Every day I come across parents making hard choices. They do not want their little children influenced by the world. We talk about it in S.S., at my job, with family members. The world has gone mad, it is crazy, it is evil. How do we protect ourselves, much less our little ones? Decisions, decisions … what do they watch, read? Who can they play with and where do they go to school? Christians are taking their children into protective environments. If they all leave where will the Christian influence be in PTAs, Boosters, Athletics? Will we be able to influence them if we are not there? Will they lose double influence by not seeing our children and ourselves as we interact with the world daily?
The Bible says in Mark 16:15:
Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”
It is the same prepositional word battle throughout all the ages. IN the world and not OF the world. If we and our families are only where we are safe, then how will the world hear? How will they see the difference in our lives that Christ makes? Yes, our children are small and innocent and we are responsible for what they see and hear. But, do we remove ourselves from the world until they are five, six, ten, sixteen? In protecting our young from being influenced are we becoming influential? Are we loving the sinner and not the sin or putting a wall between us and them? Is that what Jesus did? Jesus walked with all types as Jesus, not as they walked. Yet He was where they could see Him and how He walked.
We are told in Proverbs 22:6 to:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Have we forgotten that evil is WEAKER and that satan* has lost? Do we live like he is weaker and lost the battle? What do we fear and why? Training ourselves and our children in the ways of the Lord while IN the world will only make us stronger. No one would go into a championship game with years of training yet not one game under their belt. It is the day to day interaction in the world that God uses to influence HIS world (it is NOT satan’s* world even if he is running around like he is in charge). We can complain all we want about politics, school boards, etc. but, if we as Christians are not in the arena, how can we complain about what went on at the fight or the outcome?
“Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. ~ Matthew 16:18
Nothing is more powerful than God. You have nothing to fear of the world. Let us get out there and be an active influential part of the community where you live. Be the ‘trouble maker’ that takes back the ground surrendered to satan* in the public venues. One Nation Under God, NOT under satan*.
“Some wish to live within the sound of Church or Chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” ~ C.T. Studd
Lights in the Storm 