I'm reading A Passion for God about one of my favorite authors, A.W. Tozer. Tozer was one of the most profound yet most accessible writers I've ever read. Brilliant yet earthy.
I'm only a few pages into the book, but these two facts impacted me in some strange way. They make you evaluate or reevaluate your life. They make you think or rethink your legacy.
Fact #1: Tozer never pastored a congregation of more than five hundred people.
Fact #2: His books have sold far more copies after his death than before.
I don't know exactly why, but that challenges me and encourages me on several levels. First of all, we tend to equate influence with numbers. And don't get me wrong. I want to influence as many people as possible. But I also believe the greatest influence we can have is qualitative not quantitative. If I have a positive and profound influence on my three children then I can die at peace with myself and with God.
The other thing that challenges me is that we tend to measure influence in the here and now. But what counts is what outlives us. I'd like to think my books will outlive me. In fact, I got a book idea today that I will dedicate to my grandchildren who have only been conceived in the mind of God. Books are time capsules. That is one reason I write.
I guess I'm just thinking out loud, but here's a question.
How do you measure influence?
I'm only a few pages into the book, but these two facts impacted me in some strange way. They make you evaluate or reevaluate your life. They make you think or rethink your legacy.
Fact #1: Tozer never pastored a congregation of more than five hundred people.
Fact #2: His books have sold far more copies after his death than before.
I don't know exactly why, but that challenges me and encourages me on several levels. First of all, we tend to equate influence with numbers. And don't get me wrong. I want to influence as many people as possible. But I also believe the greatest influence we can have is qualitative not quantitative. If I have a positive and profound influence on my three children then I can die at peace with myself and with God.
The other thing that challenges me is that we tend to measure influence in the here and now. But what counts is what outlives us. I'd like to think my books will outlive me. In fact, I got a book idea today that I will dedicate to my grandchildren who have only been conceived in the mind of God. Books are time capsules. That is one reason I write.
I guess I'm just thinking out loud, but here's a question.
How do you measure influence?
5 Comments:
By increased fruit of the Spirit?
Now that you mention it, measuring conformity to the mind of Christ is kinda hard to quantify but my thoughts go to "show me your works" verses...
My initial reaction is: is influence something that can be measured? or can even be defined? and is it worth trying?
I think, generally, we say "influence," we're really talking about God working in someone else's life - and God might be using us (either in partnership or in spite of us) - but it's still God doing the work. How do you measure where our part in the process ends and God's begins?
I'm not sure that quantifying OR qualifying influence is possible - since we have no way of really knowing what "we" have done. In the way that time is relative, I think influence is relative.
Is it better, perhaps, to focus on following God and being in partnership with Him rather than trying to be an influencer? (I really hope that comes across the way I intend it to... and it's an open question, not a criticizing question.)
I want to have a multi-generational influence. When I look in God's word, I see that when we leverage our lives for His kingdom, His glory, & His church, we can have influence that outlives us & consequently has the potential to impact even generations that we did not immediately impact. It's possible in our own little way to have a Paul-like impact. We can have Timothys that take what we've given them & build on it as they impact the world around them. It's sort of the exponential vs. multiplication way of looking at influence
not to be flattering but I found this Lion in a Pit book and it has influenced me more than I can even fathom. Thanks for putting down those obscure OT dudes on paper and mixing it with incredible logic!
Thanks for posting this. Influence is one of those things that is so easy to measure by numbers only. Thanks for reminding me what real influence means.
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