Pastor discusses maximum impact
BY RYAN PULLAN
FAITH CENTER PASTOR
Over the years I have often wondered how I can have the best impact on other people. We all want to make an impact in the lives of people around us and even people we may only meet one time. So the question is how can we make an impact. The answer is change, to make change in ourselves! Yes, the best way to impact the people around us, family, co-workers, friends and even people you may never meet is to allow God to change you, transform you and mold you.
In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus calls us to be the light of the world. Jesus gives us a clear instruction in verse 16 “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
Then in Philippians 2:15 the word tells us “shining like bright lights in a world“. Here is what I love about these two passages, they mention nothing of go tell or talk about being the light or a shining light. The scripture tells us to be a bright light so people can see the love of Christ in us and through us. I’m not taking away from the importance and power of sharing the word of God with people and reading the word. There is power, freedom and life in sharing the word of God with people. But I do find it interesting that the word also tells us to not just be readers of the word but also doers of the word. There comes a time when living out the word by our actions of how we respond to people and treat others speaks more than we could ever say.
1 John 3:18 says it best “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” As we take a day at a time and allow God through the power of the Holy Spirit to do a work in us, then what He does in us will come out of us.
When that transformation takes place, then people around you will begin to see that you aren’t the same person you once were, that there is something different about you. So that begins to open up conversations and questions about what you did and who did it. I love the passage in Acts 4:13 “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”
Once again the members of the council “saw,” not just heard but saw, that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Can the people around you see when you have been with Jesus?
That passage should bring such encouragement to us all for three reasons… 1. They were ordinary men just like us. 2. They had no special training or a piece of paper that said they were qualified. 3. YOU can be that bright light shining for people to see!
How do we have maximum impact on the people around us… CHANGE. I want to challenge you today to take a moment and ask God, “What is something I can change in my life to be a bright light shining for the kingdom of heaven?”
At the end of the day you are the only person you can truly change. Sometimes the greatest impact that you will have on the people of your life will not be the words you say, it will be with the life you live.