Who are or have been the five most important people in your life? Take a moment and think about it. If you had a serious issue to deal with, who would you go to? Who's opinion would you respect and trust? Who could you trust to hold your deepest thoughts and emotions in confidence? Who would love you enough to firmly challenge you if they felt you were wrong? Who inspires you to achieve something fantastic and amazing with your life? Who makes you believe that you can achieve it? Who makes you feel truly loved? Who astonishes you with their concern and care for others above themselves? Who do you know that is truly courageous? What person that you know fights for what they believe in? Who inspired you as a child to believe in yourself? Who stuck with you when others walked away? Who recognized a greatness in you long before anyone else noticed it? Who always chooses to see the good in you no matter what? Who listens to you? Who cares about what you have to say? Who do you know that stands out from the crowd in a good way? Who do you admire? Who do you know that unites people instead of divides them? Who do you know that solves problems unlike anyone else? Who has allowed you the opportunity to fail over and over? Who gave you a chance when no one else would? Who sticks up for you? Who do you look at and pray that the good Lord would make you just half of the person they are?
Sometimes a significant person in someone that showed you how NOT to live your life. Who do you know that lets you down repeatedly? Who can you never trust? Who seems to be squandering their lives or talents? Who is constantly negative? Who always sees or assumes the worst in you or others? Who is always trying to get money from those around them? Who is always requiring of you but never giving back? Who has ruined their Christian witness? Who would rather avoid a conflict than deal with it properly? Who manipulates others with guilt or fear? Who has no empathy for others? Who is ungrateful? Who is hateful or unforgiving? Who will tell your deepest confidences to anyone and everyone? Who gossips? Who tears people down instead of building them up? Who is full of pride and arrogance? Who do you want to be the exact opposite of?
I'm sure no one person is all of these things for you. But it makes us think about those individuals that have had the most impact on our lives. Those that have really helped shape who we have become. So now here's the big question...who would say that YOU are one of their five greatest influences? And would you be one of the good influences or bad ones?
I remember Billy Graham being asked one time that if he could do anything over what would he have done, and he replied that instead of trying to impact large numbers of people as a whole, he would probably just pour himself into 5 people a year. Just REALLY pour his influence into them. And those 5 would each touch 5 each year, and each of those 5 each touch 5 each year, etc. etc. It's exponential, but it's a deep ministering to others.
It seems to me that we are living in an increasingly superficial culture. There are alot of reasons for this, but I want to encourage you to give this question of influence some thought and think about the legacy that you want to leave. Once you decide the person you want to become, then formulate a plan on how to get there.
In my band we have a regular prayer, that we desire significance over prominence. Although it appears grand, prominence is fleeting and superficial. Significance however, remains long after we have left this world. Seek significance.
