The Power of Influence

In reflecting upon this project, my mind wanders to the broader subject of influence. What influences have I introduced or allowed in the lives of my children? Have I allowed them to be impacted by good and godly or the immoral and vile?

Influence is a powerful weapon. One person once said that the President is not nearly as powerful as those whom he has asked to be among his circle of advisers. There is much truth to that. You become like those you hang around. Or as Proverbs 13:20 words it, “He who walks with wise men will be wise. A companion of fools will be destroyed.”

Here are some of the ways we have tried to influence our children with what is positive and good in their lives.

• Introduce them to reading at an early age.  This is building upon the goal to allow them to be able to read the Bible for themselves.
• Open our home to friends and family on a consistent basis to allow times for friendships to develop with people who have godly character.
• Host missionaries and pastors in our home on a regular basis.
• Limit the amount of exposure to TV, movies, video games and other forms of entertainment which more often than not are devoid of positive moral content.
• Try to develop a library of positive media which we can watch for entertainment and education.
• Be consistent with having family devotions.
• Provide opportunities for them to be involved in community based sports and other activities to encourage personal development.
• Encourage them to use their skills in the context of the Church.  This has included activities such as drama, music, dance and junior leadership.
• Be open and honest with them about our goals and how highly we value them as individuals.

This is admittedly a hodge-podge list, but it represents the basic gist of how we approach our children.  We see them as unique individuals, gifted by God, able to contribute to our family and to society at the earliest of ages, and loved by their parents and their Creator.  We know they are with us at home for a limited time and that our responsibility before God entails how we not only respond to them but also how we plan for their futures.

Has this helped you?  Please leave a comment.