I continue to wrestle with the lifestyle of influence - the lifestyle of loving our city, rather than merely preaching at them. Here are today's thoughts:
These kind of actions....
These kind of actions....
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16I was a father to the needy,
and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
17I broke the fangs of the unrighteous
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16I was a father to the needy,
and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
17I broke the fangs of the unrighteous
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
produce this kind of influence...
21"Men listened to me and waited
and kept silence for my counsel.
22After I spoke they did not speak again,
and my word dropped upon them.
23They waited for me as for the rain,
and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and the light of my face they did not cast down.
25I chose their way and sat as chief,
and I lived like a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
and kept silence for my counsel.
22After I spoke they did not speak again,
and my word dropped upon them.
23They waited for me as for the rain,
and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and the light of my face they did not cast down.
25I chose their way and sat as chief,
and I lived like a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
These verses from Job 29 show us that whether its our neighbors, co-workers, interest groups, clubs, or organizations...if we will live to serve and fight for those amongst us - we will gain their respect and admiration and our voice will be heard.
On the contrary...nobody wants to hear your message, if you are not willing to first love, defend, and serve. This serving lifestyle is not natural in American culture, so as Christ-followers its up to us to FIND ways and LOOK for opportunities to serve and love as Job did, as Jesus did, and as went have been sent to do.
Love the world. Proclaim the Gospel. In that order.
These are the convictions that are fueling my life right now. I'm excited to be a part of a program that mentors fatherless boys, but beyond programs I want to slow down in my day to day life and look for opportunities to serve and love.
Push back: What have you found difficult or exciting regarding actions that produce influence?
These are the convictions that are fueling my life right now. I'm excited to be a part of a program that mentors fatherless boys, but beyond programs I want to slow down in my day to day life and look for opportunities to serve and love.
Push back: What have you found difficult or exciting regarding actions that produce influence?
1 comment:
Great post first of all. I believe that gaining influence has a lot of factors to it. A person of influence must show love, be trusting, care, communicate and connect with others. These are just a few things that are needed to gain influence.
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