THE POWER OF INFLUENCE | Northstar Church

“Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:“Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” – Esther 4: 15-16.

As Christians, we have the opportunity and often the ability to make a profound difference in the lives of others. Every believer can impact someone else’s life for good or bad. We can make a difference in someone’s life at work, at a restaurant, at church, at home, or just by talking to a neighbor by the fence. They will be influenced one way or another by what you say and do.

What is influence? Influence is the power of producing an effect on someone without any apparent effort on our part. Whether we are trying to influence someone or not, we are impacting them just by being around them. And our kind of influence as believers is very important because we represent God.

As Christians, it often seems that God’s greatest moments for us are never for us alone. These pivotal moments are always about our lives touching the lives of others or someone touching ours. A life touched by God always ends in touching others.

Esther was a courageous woman who used her influence to save her people. Despite being the king of Persia’s bride, the king had no idea that Esther was a Jew. When Esther learned of a proposal to eliminate the Jewish people, she faced a decision: to stand up for her people and risk her safety, or remain silent. In the end, her courage saved the day.

We may read this story and think, ‘Well, my life certainly doesn’t look like Esther’s. What influence do I have?’ Maybe you’re saying, “No, not me. I don’t have influence. I’m shy. I’m not special. No one follows me.” Stop and remember that God created you to have influence. Not because you’re great but because God is great. And because He has allowed us to have influence. All influence requires is interaction with people—and we all have that ability.

Influence is relational. Think about the most influential people in your life—those who shaped or changed you the most—the people you admire, respect, and want to be like. I’ll bet they built you up, empowered you, and called out the best in you. They gave you encouragement or opportunities to become a better you. Your influence grows when you stop thinking about being great or being an influence, and you start thinking about empowering others to be great.

We need to do the same for the people in our lives. We need to get up every day and ask God for ideas on how we can give of our time, attention, talents, and resources. People will learn a lot from us about the nature of God by watching what we do and how we do it. Our actions are a living sermon, and that sermon can have a significant influence on the lives of others.

Discussion Questions:

Do your views and opinions influence your friends? Why or why not? How do your peers respect your beliefs and values?
How do you positively influence your friends?
What can we do this week to be a better influence on others?