In our town square (actually a triangle) there is a light bulb snowman. If you tune your FM dial to 107.1 static-filled Christmas music fills your car. When you drive about 500 feet you are out of range. While passing by this evening I thought about the coverage of our personal influence and how wide or how narrow it might be. Some people are like giant broadcasting towers with gigantic coverage like WLS from Chicago that transmits with 50,000 watts of power. Late at night you can hear it all over the country. Then there are those like our light bulb snowman with very limited range.
Some people are bothered because they think they are like the light bulb snowman. However, the truth of one’s influence is rarely known by the influencer. We might think we have never made an impact on anyone but we might have been that tiny pebble thrown in a pond that sends a ripple over the water’s entire surface. One of the great rewards of heaven will be an opportunity to read the records of our influence. It will not be for any personal glory but for the satisfaction of knowing we did make a difference.
Everyone one wants to make a difference. I just wish everyone wanted to make a positive difference. We can. In Ephesians 2 Paul refers to the work God has for each of us. There is something special for each of us. If we allow, He will work it out in and through us. It will make a difference for all eternity. How exciting it will be to discover just what it was. The important thing to remember is our influence is very wide and very important.
Written by Roger Bothwell on December 15, 2010
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org