Godly Influence, ---Message from the Heart

Published on 8 August 2025 at 12:39

Guest Columnist Shana Miller | Somerset-Pulaski Advocate

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Every single day, whether you realize it or not, you are influencing people through your interactions and communication with them. As Christians, we should want to influence someone positively, but what about those who are the closest to us? Your spouse, your children, the co-workers that you have seen for 10+ years? What kind of influence are we having on the ones who are the closest to you? Are we truly being wise counsel and a godly influence?


Wives and Husbands have the most decisive influence on each other. They are partners in all aspects of life and tend to lean on each other in times of need. Outside of that, we have parents, or we are the parents of influence. Even our closest friends are always there for advice and vice versa.

 

If you recall, God had promised Sarah and Abraham a child, even though Sarah was barren and of advanced age. God gave them a promise, but He did not give them a timeline. Can you reflect on a time that God placed some desire inside of you, but you had no clue if or when it would come to pass? How about a time when

 

God did not give you an answer quickly, and you just had to have faith, hope, and wait. Sometimes, as we wait, we get impatient and, like Sarah and Abraham, we decide to help or push things forward faster. The thing about God’s timeline is that he knows what we need and when we need it. He knows how we may need to grow in trust or faith, or if there are still fleshly desires lurking around. Whatever it may be, we must be patient and wait on the Lord.

 

As we look back on the moment, we see that Sarah and Abraham decided to rush things. At this moment, Sarah's name was still Sarai, and Abraham was Abram. In Genesis 16, Sarai comes to her husband Abram and tells him he should sleep with her slave, Hagar, and they can start a family through her. However, that was not God’s promise. The child would come from Sarai (Sarah) with the help of the Lord. Abram (Abraham) agreed and took Hagar as his wife and conceived Ishmael.

 

In the context of influence, Sarah was not of Godly influence or wise counsel. Regardless of what the thoughts or desires may have been, she fell weak to her flesh just as we all do. We do not always realize the impact and influence we have on others, but this week, I would like you to give wise counsel to those around you. Being of a Godly influence is how you act, speak, and treat others. God created us for fellowship and to lift each other. I want you to look at the people closest in your life and notice if anyone is giving you Godly counsel and advice or speaking of the world and fleshly advice. We are set apart, which means even our influence is different than that of the world.

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Lavada sowder
9 days ago

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