Excerpts from Maximize Relationships by Uyoyou C. Charles-Iyoha
Everyone created by God is designed to be an influence on other people. This influence is at various levels starting with the family (both nuclear and extended), the body of Christ, your community, your neighborhood, the organization where you work, the friends you associate with, your peers, your school, your country and even globally. God expects you to always be a positive influence at any of these levels.
Everyone created by God is designed to be an influence on other people. This influence is at various levels starting with the family (both nuclear and extended), the body of Christ, your community, your neighborhood, the organization where you work, the friends you associate with, your peers, your school, your country and even globally. God expects you to always be a positive influence at any of these levels.
What
does it mean to be a positive influence? A positive influence is anyone who
influences people to do what is right through their speeches, actions,
appearance and general behavior. Whether people believe in God or not, they do
have an ingrained sense of what is right or wrong. How much more when people
believe in God and profess to be serving God! The Bible is full of examples of
people who influenced other people to positive living. Our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ through His life of total obedience to God and sacrifice of
Himself for the sins of humanity is recorded in history as the most influential
person. Every relationship should help activate, nurture and fulfill God's
plans and purposes in your life. For instance, Jesus Christ spent a great deal
of time with God in prayer, His disciples in teaching sessions and imparting
kingdom principles to them. These are
the people who took over the baton when He exited planet earth. This is not to say that He did not spend time
with other people. But the bulk of His
time was spent with people who mattered to His plans and purposes.
The Apostle Paul was also an
influential person in his time and his influence continues through the many
books he wrote in the New Testament. He also mentored a good number of people
who became positive influences in their day and time.
Even young people can also
mentor other people if they excel. Timothy was a very young man yet he was a
Bishop. The Apostle Paul left him in Ephesus to put things in order and correct
the people that were walking in error. Additionally, Paul charged Timothy to be
a good mentor by being a good example. Please, see 1st Timothy
Chapter 4 verses 12 to 16. Besides, the
Bible records that Timothy imitated Paul who mentored him. Please see 1st
Corinthians Chapter 16 verses 10 to 11.
Ruth
associated with a positive person, a person who loved God and was associated
with God. She ended up becoming a descendant of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Joseph: not a single reference
is made to him associating with the wrong set of people, people who in no way impacted
his life. As a slave, he lived with
Potiphar, Captain of the Guard. Joseph was exposed to royal etiquette and
living. He learned fast and was subsequently promoted. Desirous of cutting short Joseph’s trip to
the top, Potiphar's wife offered Joseph spiritual poison coated in supposedly
palatable terms. Conscious of his divine ascent, Joseph declined. Though that earned Joseph a prison sentence,
it was the royal prison he ended in and again, his gift and divine linking up
showed up. He was promoted. He
interpreted dreams for the appropriate people and not just anybody. He interpreted dreams for people who could
link him to the very top. Though it took
two years, Joseph was eventually introduced to Pharaoh. He interpreted
Pharaoh’s dreams accurately. Joseph was made Prime Minister in a foreign land.
Rahab
chose to associate with the Israelites and was spared when Jericho was burnt
down.
There
is great wisdom and power in cultivating empowering and positive life
transforming relationships divinely arranged by God to help in fulfilling God's
plans and purposes for your life.
Choose to prosper through the
people you associate with. Therefore, connect to the relationships God is
bringing your way. Choose your friends wisely based on where you are headed.
Examine your relationships and shed some if need be. Like Daniel and friends,
Mordecai and Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah, form empowering relationships and stick
to them. The whole essence of relationship building is for profits and not
boundary delineations. Therefore, seek sanctifying persons, events, activities
and relationships. As you do this, no one can steal the presence, power,
blessings and wealth of God that you carry. Build empowering relationships by
identifying people with the grace of God who share in your vision. These are
the people to spend time with in prayer, praise and word study. Identify Spirit
filling activities, relationships, events, persons and stick to them. Invest quality time in daily Bible study,
meditation, prayer/praise worship, church services, prayer meetings, spending
quality time with God, as well as inviting the Holy Spirit to fellowship with
you. These are life building persons, activities, events. These add value to
your life.
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