DAILY DEVOTION No. 5

“You are our letter, ...... for everyone to read and understand.” - 2 Cor. 3:2 

ARE YOU MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD IN WHICH YOU LIVE? 

Why is this question so important? Because nobody has a greater investment in us than God and God is serious about His investment. You and I are to be "change agents." We should be making a difference in the lives of individuals within our sphere of influence. 

How Do We Influence Others In A Positive Sense?

If we follow the following principles, we will have an influence for God's Kingdom far beyond what we could imagine.

1) Always keep a right spirit

You and I are constantly on show and the person who doesn't know Christ is looking to see how we will react in different circumstances. We must constantly guard our heart and not allow any root of bitterness to develop when people or life treats us unfairly. We influence others by what we say or by what we don’t say. A great example is David in the cave of Adullam (1 Sam.22:1-2). He had every right to be resentful and when he was joined by those who became his mighty men, he could have complained, but made a decision to keep a right spirit. David’s character and conduct literally changed their lives and made them fit to be his leaders.

2) Consistency and conviction that does not shift

Whether we realize it or not, our example leaves an impression on others. We must not portray to be one thing and then show to be someone else. We must be men and women that live by their principles, not by their impulses! We must stand for what is right, good and wholesome - living by God's standards. What we do should match what we say. In other words, not presenting one set of rules and living by another. People want to see that we are real - that we have no hidden agendas or ulterior motives. To avoid being classified as a hypocrite, our hearts must be aligned with our lips. When dealing with others there is to be no strings attached. We must learn to give freely without expecting anything in return.

3) A Lover Of God And His Ways

  To make an impact for God, we must be a people that are “growing in the knowledge of God.” As long as you are satisfied with the way things are, you will never change anything. We should never be content with our level of devotion to God. The more you know God (getting an understanding of His attributes), the deeper your love for Him. This understanding comes by discovering Him through His Word. If the Word is not in your heart, it won’t come out of your mouth and therefore, your influence on others will be minimal. When you love God more, you want to talk about Him to others. You might say to yourself, "How can I have any influence on others, I feel so inadequate and unqualified to speak for Him." Remember, none of us were born qualified, we become qualified by spending time with Jesus.

4) By Allowing God’s Love To Shine Through Us

John 15:8 – “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” God wants each one of us to be fruitful in our lives. He has blessed us in so many ways – why? So that we might be a blessing to others. For God’s love to minister to others, we must be accessible to them - you can’t help people from a distance, you can only do it up close. Paul said in 2 Cor 6:2, “Now is the time of God’s favour”. Paul was convinced that NOW is the day of salvation. Driven by this conviction and by love for others, Paul gave his all to win them to Christ. It is our responsibility to tell others about Jesus, but many times we don’t even need to even say anything - just live the life. We must realise that our life is being observed by others and by God. We must constantly guard our heart and keep watch over our lives because we have no idea who’s observing our life today.

CHALLENGE 

There are a number of things that will hinder us from making a difference. These are: 1. the idea that we need a special ministry or anointing before we can make a difference; 2. A feeling of apathy towards reaching out to others; and 3. Too busy to give ourselves to making a difference.

Don't let these things hinder you. Ask yourself these questions: 1) Am I having a positive influence on those around me – my children, grand children, friends, relatives, work mates and neighbours? 2) Will I choose to make a difference today? What am I going to do to change things?

Prayer

Lord help me to be an example of righteousness, integrity, truth and love to others. Help me to speak words that will bring spirit and life and not words that will deliver death and destroy people's lives. I ask today that above all, Christ would be seen in me. 

Rod Best