Dangerously InfluentialSample

Your Influence Is Powerful 

You may think you don’t have what it takes to be influential for God. But that’s just not true. You don’t have to have followers, fame, or money to make a difference. Just start. The Bible tells us that whoever is faithful with a little can be given much. 

So, start with what you can do today to make a difference tomorrow. Are there people in your life who don’t know Jesus? Tell them about Him. Are there people in your community who need help? Help them. Is there a need in your church that you can meet—whether it’s serving children in the kids’ ministry or giving your allowance to help someone buy groceries? Give generously. 

Jesus said that the greatest among us are actually those who serve the most. He gave us the best example of this when we washed His disciples’ feet. In that time, it would have been a sign of honor. It would have been like inviting Jesus over to your house, and He washed all of your dishes afterward. Crazy, right? 

So, the greatest way for you to unleash your influence is to serve others well. There’s a famous story in the Bible about a woman named Mary who gave all she had to worship Jesus. She had a jar of perfume that would’ve been worth an entire year’s salary. Imagine—you’ve worked at a hard job for a whole year. You save the money. You may dream about the new iPhone you’d buy, the next pair of Jordans you can get—but this woman saved every penny as a sacrifice for Jesus.

She poured the entire jar on His feet to wash them, and she dried them with her hair. How extravagantly generous! And her story is mentioned in every single biblical account (all four Gospels) of the life of Jesus. Her influence grew because she gave much and served much.

Now, we don’t serve to get fame or rewards. We serve because we want to honor God. But the best way to start becoming the salt of the earth is to serve like no one’s watching.

You’re brave enough to impact eternity. You have everything you need to live out the incredible plans God has for your life. Every time you pray, invite someone to church, give to someone in need, or serve someone—you’re becoming salt and you’re spreading the Good News about Jesus.

So, you have influence. You are powerful. You can fuel a movement that started 2,000 years ago when Jesus came and set the world free from sin, shame, and death. So, go. Don’t wait until you’re older. Start where you are, and use your influence to change your school, church, community, and world.

Challenge: Brainstorm ways you can start using your influence today that will make a difference tomorrow. Is it serving somewhere at your church? Is it doing something nice for someone at school or in your family? Make a list of things you can start doing now, but don’t take credit for them. Secretly serve those around you to start putting your influence into action.