Today, my son, Walter, turns 15! It’s hard to believe how fast time flies. When we moved here, he was 5 and beginning kindergarten. Watching him grow has reminded me of how important it is for young people (and really, for all of us) to know who is influencing whom.
Jesus calls us the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). Salt makes a huge difference in the flavor of food. Light exposes everything around. But what happens when Christians stop making a difference or exposing what is around us? What happens when Christians stop influencing the world and instead the world influences them?
It looks like this:
– People who belong to Jesus start chasing after what the world has to offer.
– Those who are called to be different begin to blend in
– Truth gets twisted and blurred until right and wrong are flipped upside down
– Followers of Jesus who are to shine let their light burn out instead.
That’s what happens when the influencer becomes the influenced. The world wins, and our light fades. Jesus warned, “if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23).
But here is the truth… God did not bring us back to life in Christ just to blend in. He gave us new life so that we could bless the people He puts in our path. We don’t do that by letting culture share with us. We do that by standing firm in Him. Compromise always kills influence.
Paul says, “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching… for as you do this you will save yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). In other words, live what you believe. Be real. Practice what you preach at home, at school, at work, online, with the church, and EVERYWHERE!
As I look at Walter stepping into these middle teen years, my prayer for him and for all of us is that we don’t follow the crowd, but that we shine for Christ no matter what. So let’s flip the script. Don’t let the world shape you. Be the one shaping the world for Christ!
Blessings,
Alex Mills