You Never Know How Far Your Influence Will Go
Don't stop teaching. Don't stop loving. Don't stop encouraging.
I’m working with the church in Springhill, Louisiana, this weekend. I grew up about 100 miles north of here in Arkansas — so it feels like going home. At the first service last night, I had an elderly widow walk up to me after everything was over and thank me for the lesson. She went on to say how she has begun every day listening to one of the sermons or classes via the livestream produced by Cornerstone for the last few years. She had just watched our summer series speaker (Noah Icenhour) the night before and complimented his lesson.
As we visited, she mentioned how she had lost both her husband (a 70 + year marriage) and a daughter this year. She teared up as she described the shock and loneliness she feels. She thanked me for the encouragement and strength she has received from the lessons we present. It humbled me. And it reminded me of how far our influence can go — without even knowing.
Sometimes, things happen that knock us down. Critics complain and look for things they disagree. As they do, it is easy to entertain thoughts that say it’s not worth it. No one cares, or maybe they’re all right and it would be better to stop. Last night, a simple, short, and sincere conversation with a dear sister reminded me that all those negative thoughts are lies from the enemy. By the power and opportunity God provides, our positive influence can make a difference on a much wider scale than we can imagine. Don’t stop teaching. Don’t stop loving. Don’t stop encouraging. You never know how far your actions will go.
But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. For we have become participants in Christ if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start.
Hebrews 3:13-14