Lasting Influences

We’re so quick to judge the sins of others. And we are called to share the truth which sometimes means holding others to a higher standard. But I think we should learn to do that with a voice of love and grace. 

I work with students everyday who make choices that aren’t Biblical. They choose lifestyles that bring themselves harm and conform to this world. But I don’t reject them because of it. And neither does God.

He rejects sin, and when His children reject Him, He has no choice but to allow the consequences of their choices. But I still teach these kids. I still smile when they pass my door walking down the hallway. I still listen to them when they get excited and I listen to them when they are upset. Just like I do for all of my students. I don’t treat them any differently just because I disagree with them. We are called to love unconditionally as Christ loves us. 

To be totally honest, I sat among a few of these kids a few months ago on a particular trip and…my heart just broke. It goes out to them. I mean, think about it. Can you just imagine the place you have to be in to make some of these choices?

Can you imagine hating your body or yourself so much that you trade it in for someone else? How lonely must you be to abandon the truth? These kids crave acceptance and love so much. They yearn for attention and they’re calling out the only way they know how. Our world is swallowing them up in its pleasures and indulgences because we haven’t taught them to stand against it. 

The world is dark and broken and it’s sucking in our children one at a time. It’s feeding them lies and they’re growing fat on them. They aren’t beyond saving. Have compassion when you see someone you know is following a dark and destructive path. Pray for them. They’re hurting, too.

Maybe if we show them what true love and acceptance is then they will be drawn to the truth and motivated to change.

Fighting a culture is hard. Fighting conformity is hard when you know the truth. But fighting when you are trapped behind enemy lines? Enslaved by lies? That’s nearly impossible. The world doesn’t need more protestors yelling on the sidewalk, condemning people for their sins. It needs more people willing to show patiently extend grace and love to come alongside these troubled souls and give them a true friend, to walk with them. 

And it isn’t only those younger than us, or even those we see regularly. We have a greater chance to influence those in our daily lives, of course, but they aren’t the only ones who will be affected by our actions and choices. There are people I will affect without ever knowing that I have left an impression. I know this because of the people who have touched my life. All it takes is one experience, one moment in time to change a life.

Furthermore, you don’t have to be any certain age to be swallowed up by this world. Everyone faces temptations and choices, circumstances that threaten to break us, and heart-wrenching losses. Old and young. Brokenness doesn’t discriminate. There are people in my own family that cut me to the quick and continue to choose a destructive lifestyle. They’re older than me, have a lot more life experience than me, and played a significant role in shaping me into the woman I am today. But that doesn’t justify their wrongdoing. Nor does it discount their pain and suffering. It doesn’t matter who you are. You will struggle in this life. Over and over again. There’s no escaping it.

Sure, I am in a place of authority over my students and I yearn to be someone they can look up to. I strive to become a better woman every day, but not just for my students. Yes, I am in a unique position to be a positive influence on the precious children I teach every day. But I also know that I could make a difference in the life of a complete stranger or of someone far older than me. In the blink of an eye, life can change. What are we doing with those blinks? 

What kind of impression do I want to leave on my students, a complete stranger, or even those I love and hold dearest to me? Hopefully not one of a rash or impulsive nature. I know I’ve got a temper. It’s easy to fall into frustration and to lash out in the high-pressure world we live in. So my students, and complete strangers, the people around me who love me, they all hold me to a higher level of accountability. I’m no greater than the people around me whom my heart breaks for. I, too, have fallen very short and into temptation and sin. But I know better. And some of the people around us, they don’t.

Knowing that I am a potential mentor, or even a potential influence from a simple point in time, knowing that I am charged with leading by example as a follower of Christ, I strive to be just a little bit better today than I was yesterday. 

It’s not always easy. In fact, most of the time, it’s hard. And, sometimes…sometimes we’re gonna mess up. We’re gonna make mistakes. We won’t always make the right choice or leave the lasting impression we want. Sometimes we hurt others and we drive them away. But that doesn’t mean we should ever quit. We can stand up. We can brush ourselves off. And we can try again.

God made me. He had a plan for me before I was even a tinkle in my daddy’s eye. And He is good. He is molding me, crafting me, shaping me into the woman He meant me to be, a woman who abides in Him. And with that I can make a difference in the lives of others. By pointing them to God, I give them the chance to do the same, to fulfil their purpose and become who God designed them to be. But God made you, too. And He’s giving you that same chance to leave a legacy. So what will yours be?

I pray you are staying safe and healthy in this time of uncertainty. But I also pray you take this time to reflect and choose. Choose who you want to be. Choose what character qualities you want to exercise and train and drill into yourself. Choose how you want to react and what kind of an impression you want to leave on those around you. We only get one shot at this life. Let’s make it count.

Love always,
Coralie

Speak Life TobyMac