There are many things that influence us. Our decisions, our actions, our thoughts. We have
commercials we see on TV trying to influence our spending habits. We have social media posts,
podcasts and books that try to influence our actions to help us “better achieve”. We have people in our lives that try to influence our decisions. None of these are bad, unless it drags you away from God’s will and plan for your life. But what does it mean to be a “man of influence”?
I love what John Maxwell says about influence. “True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence. Leadership is influence. Just because someone has a title, doesn’t mean that person is a leader.”
If you want to have influence with your wife, your kids, your community, your church, your business, whatever it is, we’d be wise to remember that a title doesn’t automatically get you that opportunity.
You want to be a man of influence…add value.
Acts 20:35 – In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, and “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
This verse is simply instructing us to take our eyes off of us, our needs, our wants, our desires, and looking to others with the heart of “how can I serve you, love you, add value to you?”
In the next few weeks we are going to be posting about how we can be men of influence in various areas of our lives (our family, our church, and business/work) but I think we can really simplify it by asking ourselves the question “How can I add value?”
How can I add value to my wife every day?
How can I add value to my kids today?
How can I add value to my co-worker, boss or employees?
How can I add value to my church?
How can I add value to my friend who is hurting?
If you do that intentionally, you will have influence in those areas because you have built trust. When trust is earned with a person, you have gained permission to speak into their lives. Then you can lead them. Instead of a commercial, you will be able to help direct their thinking. As good as a podcast or a book may be, you would be a “go to” person in their life for help, wisdom, and direction.
You add value, you can lead them toward God, His ways, His desires – and be used by God to change a life.
Are the people God has placed in your life blessed by how you are stewarding those relationships? Spend some time with the Lord this week and ask Him how He might direct you on how He is calling you to add value, to be intentional and to lead people that He has placed in your life for a reason.
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