The Power of Influence in Christian Leadership

The Methodist Church in Cuba (IMECU) is blessed with exceptional men who are committed to their calling and ready to serve wherever the Lord needs them. One such man is Bishop Ricardo Pereira Díaz. For over two decades, he has been the leader God has used to guide the work on the island. He has walked at the forefront of the flock during the most difficult times, affirming that “it is possible” even when others have given up. His tenure as bishop has spanned ten hurricanes, several earthquakes, and floods. He can be found anywhere from Baracoa in the east to the most remote corners of Mantua in the west, bringing aid and a word of encouragement from God. His example has inspired many to serve the Lord, and his ministry has positively influenced the lives of thousands. He is the leader God raised up for this time within IMECU—a true example of the power of influence.

How Christians Influence the Lives of Others

There are two ways to approach life: being a collector who stores things up for oneself, or sharing with others all the good things God has given us. As followers of Jesus, we cannot travel this path called “life” with the attitude of collectors, accumulating for our own consumption. Rather we are to share our enthusiasm, acquired knowledge, experiences, and faith. In doing so, we influence the lives of others. Influence is a mystery that often cannot be explained, but neither can it be ignored. Influence is capable of moving a person’s will and leading them to do things they had not previously considered. It is not conditioned on spending a lot of time with someone, because, as J. R. Miller states in his book, The Building of Character, “There have been one-moment encounters that have left permanent, eternal impressions.” How much time did Jesus spend with the Samaritan woman, or with the Gadarene demoniac? They were brief encounters, but they changed the lives of those who spoke with the Master.

How can we deny the influence of a father on his son’s life, or that of a teacher on his students? We are even influential on people we don’t know but who observe our actions and want to emulate the positive things we do. In one way or another, we all, to a greater or lesser degree, are influential to one or many. The American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Every man is a hero and an oracle to somebody, and to that person, what he says has added value.”

We are responsible for the impact we have on the lives of those around us. The Lord has often given us positions of influence. By positions, we don’t mean status or authority, but rather in various relationships we receive and build. Herein we have the opportunity to be a catalyst, moving others to be better workers, better parents, better citizens, or better children of God.

What the Bible Says About Influence

Those of us who have come to know God have a model to follow in the teachings of Jesus. We are not just anyone. The Master called us the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” We are ‘little Christs.’ In a hostile environment that fosters sin, Christians live in holiness, adding flavor to a bland world and bringing light to the darkness that reigns in the hearts of others.

Every Relationship Is a Position of Influence

Let us not underestimate the impact we can have on someone’s life. A single person changed deserves every effort; a single person won for Christ deserves every effort. So let us not collect for our own enlargement, but share freely what we have been given. The small things we do today can change the course of someone else’s life, just as a small snowball thrown from a hill can become an avalanche.