I came to know The Lord when I was in high school. My pastor and his wife took me in and taught me exponential amounts of the Word before I graduated the next year. They let me ask questions. I lived across the street so I knew them and their daughters. They were real people. They loved God and I found I wanted to be like them. I tried to follow their advice as much as I could. I still say things they taught me many years ago.
Right on the heels of those people came my sister and her family. Now this was a different sort of influencing. I moved in with them for a year before college. My education was unending! (Keep in mind I was raised in a single parent home.) During this year, I'd step out of my bedroom to find my sister and brother-in-law smooching in the kitchen. Yikes! I didn't know what to do! (run . . . turn around . . . make a comment . . .) They were laughing and tickling and loving. Their lifestyle of family and Jesus rubbed off on me. They wanted me to be a part of the family so much they even bought me a special glass that they put at my place at the table every time we ate together. That glass had an emblem of their favorite football team. They wanted me to join them in their love of this team. They lived in an area of America where this team was on every Sunday afternoon. Of course, we'd all gather to watch them play. Now, I was a little rebellious. Oh sure, I drank from the special glass, but I didn't buy the idea. Unknowingly, I learned about almost every other team in that league because I always cheered for the other team! Still, they loved me, taught me and mostly just did life in a real way all the time I stayed with them. I was so glad to be in their family; my brother-in-law even walked me down the aisle at my wedding!
When Jesus went out into public ministry, He invited some people to do real life with Him as well. John 1:39 says they stayed with Him. Whatever happened during that "stay" had an influence not only on these guys but on the people they invited to come and see Jesus. One very inconspicuous man to stay during that time with Jesus was Andrew. Interestingly enough, the Bible doesn't have great stories about Andrew other than he stayed with Jesus. One very pivotal day in Andrew's life, he introduced his brother, Peter, to Jesus. Well, the rest is the story of a disciple who stayed with Jesus through thick and thin eventually saying, "Where else can we go for the Word of Life?" Ok, I know Peter denied Jesus for a few days, but honestly, if that was all the time he denied Him, his track record was pretty good. Check out the book of Acts in the Bible. Peter's work is stunning. But remember, Andrew had stayed with Jesus first!
Sometimes in life, we need examples of what it means to "stay". Jesus invited His disciples to "abide" in Him. Interestingly enough, the same word is used in the John 1 passage (stay) as in the John 15 passage (abide). His Word makes us clean, but the "real life" part is in the abiding (staying). Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so we would know His staying power after He left the Earth. He abides with us.
Who has been a "staying influence" in your life? For whom do you exhibit that kind of example? (Let me just say, it's anyone in your sphere of influence. You never know who is watching.) Jesus didn't run from the Cross; He stayed. Can you name at least three people who are watching your life and how you abide in Christ? Conversely, who are you watching?
Father, I believe You put people in our pathway both to influence and be influenced by them. Does anybody care about You because I abide (stay) in Your way of doing things? Only You know that! Remind me that You're the only one I need to please. Thank You for those who have influenced me all these years and still do. Watching someone abide in You is such a strong example and encouragement!
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