Sphere of Influence Archives

Our sole purpose is to glorify God in all we do. We have but one purpose. I have spent a great deal of my life thinking about, planning for, and pursuing my purpose. For most of that time, I was clueless about my true purpose. It seemed to morph over time. There were seasons when I thought I had a good handle on it, only to see my life shift.

The Epiphany

Then there was this epiphany. What if my ultimate purpose and yours were exactly the same? We were created for the same purpose, but in different ways. Rather than looking at my purpose as a task to be performed or a goal to be achieved, maybe it is bigger than that.

We were created for His glory. That is the beginning and end of it. Everything He has blessed us with is simply tools to achieve that singular purpose. It is not the job, mission trips, mentoring, or even evangelism; they are tools we use.

Isaiah 43:7: “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

The reason my life shifts from time to time is that God moves me into a different phase of the same purpose. He moves me from one sphere of influence to another while keeping the primary purpose intact. That also means that no aspect of my life should be directed toward a different purpose.

Acts 17:26–27: “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

The Plan

He placed us where He wanted us, to use what He gave us to glorify Him in every action, word, and thought. That is a different perspective. It is not the conditions of my environment that dictate what I should do for Christ; it is everything I am experiencing in the moment.

Revelation 4:11: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

God has never cared about material goods or power. His only concern is for people. The gifts of intelligence, relationships, experiences, knowledge, time, or money are His resources, placed at your disposal for you to use to glorify Him. You do not give away anything you own; God owns it all.

Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Take a business, for example. God does not care about the business; it is a tool. He wants you to grow the business because its growth gives you more influence. You gain influence with customers, employees, and suppliers. He wants you to use the influence the business has created to glorify Him. It is not about you. He wants you to use the results to expand His kingdom and glorify His name.

I get caught up in the idea that the success of my efforts reflects how God sees me. He wants me to lead, innovate, motivate, and invest in others. But those are simply tools He has placed in my temporary possession, to be given away in a way that glorifies Him.

Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

The Goal

The greater my influence, the greater my glorification, if I choose to use it that way. I can use my influence to improve my life or my family’s. I can use it to promote myself and gain power and prestige. Maybe I believe I only need to invest a portion of my success. After all, He did give it to me, right?

We have a singular purpose in all that we do with all that He has blessed us with. It is to glorify Him. There is no plan B.

1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Leadership Passing the test There are leaders, and there are those who lead. Leaders may hold positions of power; those who truly lead inspire.

There is no louder voice in your life than your character’s voice. It is the steady drumbeat that reveals the consistency of your actions over time. I have watched people of character make incredible, self-sacrificing decisions without a word. They simply did what was right because it was right—nothing more. It cost them dearly, but not nearly as much as it would have to live any other way.

Luke 8:17, “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”

As we strive to become the person God created us to be, we will face hard choices. Those choices reveal our character. Character emerges when doing what is right comes at a cost.

Testing

To temper steel, it must first endure intense heat. The process makes the steel tougher by reducing its hardness. Life can do the same to us. We are tested in the heat of adversity, not simply to make us harder, but to make us tougher without becoming hardened. We learn to reflect hope by letting go of bitterness and to practice humility by turning away from self-centeredness.

1 Corinthians 3:13, “each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.”

I’m reminded of a story in John chapter nine. Jesus encounters a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples immediately want to know who was responsible. Was it the man’s fault or his parents’? Jesus shifts their focus from blame. He tells them that through this man’s blindness, the works of God would be displayed.

John 9:1-4, “As He (Jesus) passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”

As much as I would prefer it were different, I have learned to see tests as opportunities to show others what my faith truly means. When I am in a dark place, I need most to let the light of Christ radiate through me. Darkness does not hide the light; it makes the light easier to see. These moments can become opportunities God uses to spread the Gospel through the way we live.

People within our Sphere of Influence

The people in our sphere of influence are watching how we live, and from what they see, they draw conclusions about our character. It is easy to project a positive image when everything is going right and all is well in the world. The real test comes when things are not so good. Do we still trust in Christ? Do we still project hope and reassurance when everyone around us knows our life sucks?

Ephesians 5:13, “But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”

Very few people live in hopes of being tested. Most are like me: try me if you must, but please make it multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank. I dread the big tests—losing someone I love, cancer, financial hardship, or losing a job. I know those tests will require supernatural strength I do not possess on my own.

But strangely enough, it is often the pop quizzes that catch me unprepared—you know, deception, anger, jealousy, impatience, pride. Too often, I fail them because I did not prepare. When the big test comes, I cram; I pray, read Scripture, and seek Christian counsel. Yet the pop quizzes arrive without warning and too often find me lacking. The Bible might describe it as a lamp without enough oil.

It is natural to turn inward during times of trouble. But we must remember that there are people within our sphere of influence watching what we do next. Some may never read the Bible, attend a church, or listen to a sermon, but they will watch us. What they see in us may shape what they believe about the God we claim to follow.

Created for Moments Like This

God has created you for moments like these. The God who spoke the universe into existence knows you, loves you, and has not abandoned you in the midst of the test. His testing is not merely intended to expose your weakness. It can become an opportunity to display His strength through you.

Paul understood this. Near the end of his letter to the Colossians, written while he was imprisoned, Paul does something remarkable. He does not primarily ask them to pray that the prison doors will open so he can escape. He asks them to pray that God will open a door for the message. His concern is not simply, How do I get out of this? His concern is, How can God use me while I am here?

Colossians 4:3-6, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

That is leadership.

Conclusion

Be the one who leads—not simply because you have authority, a position, or a title, but because the way you live gives others the courage to keep going. Let your character speak before your words. Let your faith be most visible when it is most severely tested.

And when darkness comes, let your light shine brightest.

1 Peter 1:7, “so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Tag: Sphere of Influence

We Have but One Purpose