Stewarding our Influence – Part 1

by Ron Bare

We often hear the phrase, “you don’t need to have power to have influence,” but then struggle to see where that plays out practically. I’d invite you to consider a coworker, past or present, who has a way of quietly encouraging others. They may not have a leadership title, but they bring peace to the workplace and help build a culture of trust, don’t they? Over time, they shape the company’s culture in ways formal leaders sometimes can’t. This is the heart of Christian influence. God entrusts each of us with gifts – relationships, time, and opportunities. How we use those gifts matters, and like that coworker, I hope you are encouraged to leverage your influence, not to make your name great, but to serve God and others.

We all have countless opportunities to steward our influence for God’s kingdom. But how do we know we have been given this role? We read about it in the very first chapter of the Bible! In Genesis 1:28, God says to mankind, “Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then in Genesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” In giving mankind authority to “rule” and “take care of” the earth, God demonstrated significant trust. With this trust comes great responsibility. Wherever we engage with this world, at home, the office, our church, or our community, let these passages be a reminder that faithful daily work in these arenas is part of honoring God’s entrusted authority and influence.

Why does this matter? Luke 16:10 reads, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…” When we honor God by faithfully engaging our small responsibilities, our influence naturally expands. A small moment of choosing integrity at work, an act of generosity, or a moment of thinking before speaking – all of it shows that we take our responsibilities from God seriously. That small moment of integrity could even evolve into a greater opportunity for influence. Maybe a boss takes note of your integrity. Time after time, integrity proves to be innate in you, and when submitting a name for a promotion, your boss thinks of you. Now, trusted with a supervisory role over other employees, you have even more influence that can be used for good. Be someone who is trustworthy with little.

Genesis speaks to the fact that we certainly have influence, because of the gifts God has trusted us with. But there’s a parable in Matthew 25 that speaks to the idea of what exactly we should be doing with this influence. The master in this parable entrusts resources, or talents, to three servants. The master leaves for a time and upon his return, finds that two servants invested the talents and multiplied what was given to them, while the third buried the talent, preserving its worth. The master is pleased with the first two servants but condemns the third, going so far as to call him “wicked.” Our influence is just like those talents. Given to us by our master, God, we are reminded that He expects growth, not simply preservation. How are you growing your influence? Today we looked at influence from a 30,000 foot view. Next month, we’re going to come down into the weeds. We hope you’ll consider joining us in October, as we talk about practical ways to steward our influence.