What does it look like to be influenced?
What does it mean to influence?
Is it powerful?
Is it a gift?
These are some questions I’ve been tossing around surrounding the wonderful topic of influence.
I believe it has great power and I have seen it at work. I have seen it work for the good and for the bad of other people. I’ve watched gifted people use it to their own glory but also to the glory of God. When surrendered to the Lord, it can function as a wonderful gift. When used for personal benefit, it can leave other people hurt and confused.
Humans were made to copy and imitate one another. We love to follow, do, and say what each other is doing and/or saying. I see it as a way to try and empathize with one another. Society is formed based on our desire to belong and be accepted. Here is a little experiment: in a big group, take a drink of water. See how many people will drink their water after you. We aren’t usually aware of it, but we are under the influence of one another daily, hourly. (pro tip: choose your people wisely).
I believe that influence is something you need to be aware of.
Do you have the strength/gift of influence?
I think there is an influence scale.
(-1) Influencer ———0——- Influenced (1)
Take an honest moment. Now place yourself on the scale. How much influence do you carry?
Influencer:
- the person the room looks to.
- the one who people want to follow.
- the one who starts new things.
- the independent thinker.
- occasionally unaware of the persuasion they carry.
Influenced:
- the one growing and learning by imitation.
- the one coming alongside.
- the one that agrees.
- the one who copies ideas/ opinions.
- the one that wants to please.
- the one that wants to fit in at all costs.
Yes, influence sounds like something you want to have. At least I know I want to possess it. But we all are made with different ingredients and amounts of those ingredients, and the key to living into light and abundance is becoming aware of your exact recipe and how to use that for the benefit of others. Neither one is inherently bad or good!
If you rated yourself on the “influencer” side, think about how you use that influence. Are your words and actions lining up with who you want to be?
If you tend to be more influenced, look at who you are following. Are you content being “discipled” by that person or persons? Are you unknowingly allowing yourself to make poor decisions based on a strong wave of influence?
Ultimately, I want Jesus to have the most influence over my life. I want my innate desire to imitate and copy to kick in the strongest with Him.
I am becoming more aware of who and how I influence people. I am also now seeing who I let influence me.
Here is to influence and awareness!
