Jason, the other youth Sunday school teacher, taught a lesson Sunday about influences in our lives. The scripture he went from was Luke 5:1-12. “And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.’ And Simon answering said unto him, ‘Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.’ And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, ‘Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, ‘Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.’ And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying,"Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."
Jason said that in this account of the first disciples being called, Jesus influenced Simon with a miracle. But Simon was captain of this boat, it seemed, so that when he came to Jesus it influenced James and John. Jason went on to tell about one of his friends who, when Jason was still unsaved, would drink and party and although he never made him, forced him or even asked him to drink, just because his friend had done it, it influenced Jason to do it, too. But then Jason got saved. He was the same Jason, but he walked and talked and lived a little differently. And after a while his buddy began to notice and wonder what was going on. Then he got in church and got saved himself. Jason had influenced him – for God. This made me think about the influenced in my own life.
There are good ones – my mom, her mom, my sister, my wife, even my own daughter in a way. There are bad influences in my life, too, but I’m not going to name them. But it also made me think about the people I influence and have influenced in one way or another. People like the members of my Sunday school class, my co-workers, my neighbors, even my church’s facebook friends who read these devotionals. But most importantly, my daughter. She sees me at my best and at my worst. My prayer is that if I influence anybody that it will be for God’s good or nothing. I challenge you today to look at your life and the people around you and try to influence them the way God leads you to.
Have a good week!
Bro Kevin Winebarger
CMBC Facebook Writer
