Influence
People are like mirrors. We are going to reflect something—either God or something else. I think we have much more influence on the way people behave around us than we realize.
The story is told of a wise man who sat at the gate of a city. One day, a traveller came to him and asked, “What kind of people live in your city?”
The wise man replied, “What kind of people live where you come from?”
The traveller answered, “They are quite unpleasant—unfriendly and untrustworthy.”
The wise man shook his head and replied sadly, “I’m afraid you will find the same kind of people here with us.”
A few hours later, another visitor came to the gate and asked the same question. Again, the wise man asked him, “What kind of people lived in the place you come from?”
This time the visitor replied, “All of them are kind, loving, and generous.”
The wise man smiled and said, “You will also find the same kindness and generosity amongst the people here!”
Obviously a fable, it still carries a valid point. In everyday life, if I arrive at work with a bad attitude—grumpy, negative, and complaining about everything—my attitude affects the whole group, and everyone may end up having a bad day.
My presence, I have learned, either raises the standard of godly behaviour or else it lowers it. May the Lord help us to be a positive influence—the salt of our communities.
I remember, as a boy, being deeply inspired by the thought that God would have spared the entire wicked city of Sodom if there had been only ten righteous people living there. I want to be one of those ten righteous people in my community—someone who preserves and brings godly influence to my small corner of the world.