Influences

Just wanted to post about the influences surrounding us. Everyone has things and people that influence them. Everyone is an influence to others whether they want to or not and whether they realize it or not. You are always influencing for good or for wrong.

The Bible says: Romans 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
 
This verse tells us that we all have an affect on others around us.

This is why it is so important to protect ourselves from wicked influences. It is important to protect our eyes and ears and mind from what is taken in.

This is also why it is important to have a good testimony and be careful how we walk and talk and even dress. We are influencing others. For some people we are the only Bible they currently know. We are the only representative of God or Christ that another may know. If they see you living in sin, fretting over life's situations or being careless in our words, they will have a negative view of Christians and God. That is why so many people think that churches are full of hypocrits. --Because they SEE and HEAR them acting, talking, or living incorrectly to God's Word.

Children surely learn what they see in the adults around them. If they see and hear criticism of others they learn to be critical. If they see and hear negative view points all the time that is what they learn to focus on. If they see and hear parents praying, reading their Bible and statements about trusting God for the future and for daily provision they will grow up learning to do those things as well.

By the same token, if an adult surrounds themselves with people who are negative and gripe and complain about everything they soon learn to be the same way. Attitudes and moods are catching! Don't believe me?...See how fast a household gets out of whack when Momma is in a bad mood!

Just a post to remind you to be careful of the influences you allow near yourself and to be careful of the influence you are having on others around you.