Friday, January 2, 2009

Influence

I'm reading 2 Chronicles, and I am being challenged by it like never before. I actually have typically been kind of ho-hum about reading through the Chronicles because they've always seemed to be a repetition of Kings. But, they are not! There is so much more! The thought that is coming to me as I read 2 Chronicles is how easily people can be swayed by a leader and how quickly people can return from being raging pagans to claiming that they belong to the Lord when they need Him. I am challenged by this in two ways. First of all, I'm challenged to be a leader. Regardless of how much they buck against the things of God, the truth is that people around me are truly looking for the beauty of the life they could find by submitting to Him. As much as I would prefer to just live my life and let others live theirs, I must stand as a leader and example of the life I have in Christ. Secondly, though, I must stand in truth. If I stand as a leader but am not consistent in my devotion to the Lord, people will follow me to their downfall and mine. This is one of the reasons I would rather stay in my own little world. But, I cannot. In the end, each of us must answer for our own decisions, but I definitely, as a believer in the God of the universe, have a responsibility to lead others to the truth that I know.

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