Influencer

Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel. Joshua 24:31

Back in 2017, when I first began the process of writing a book, I had visions of best-seller lists and million-dollar royalties. If I was going to write a book, I wanted it to change the world. I felt then – and I still feel – that God wanted me to write the book. If I was going to be obedient though, I had some expectation that God would make it successful, numerically and financially. When it was published in 2020, amidst the pandemic, I sat back and waited for sales to explode. Looking back, I can see that the book has been successful, just not in the way that I thought it might be.

I regularly meet those in my community who tell me they’ve picked up my book at a local coffee shop and have found it helpful in their own struggle. I also frequently give away copies to those with whom I work. It’s been a fantastic ministry tool, which I believe God has used to do tremendous good, but I’ll never get rich off it. I give away more copies than I sell, losing money in the process. It’s never going to be on the New York Times bestseller list, but I’ve realized that it doesn’t have to be. I felt God wanted me to write it and I obeyed, which was a big deal in my own life. God in turn, has used the book to affect those in my circle of influence. I’m not responsible for changing the world but I am responsible for using my influence to do good in my little corner of that world.

We all exert some influence on those around us. That’s the lesson of today’s passage. In the story, Joshua died and was buried in the land that he’d helped conquer. Joshua faithfully led his people, following God’s will all his days. The effect of Joshua’s obedience cannot be overstated. While Joshua was in charge, the Israelites also followed God, enjoying tremendous blessing because of Joshua’s influence.

God won’t likely ask you and I to conquer any promised land. As believers though, we are expected to be obedient, doing God’s will, loving those he’s put in our lives. We all exert some effect on those around us. Today, if we claim to follow God, then we must use that influence to do his will in the lives of our friends, coworkers, and neighbors. God doesn’t ask us to change the world, but he does ask that we use our influence to change our little corner of it.