Portion of Influence.
With each leader of Judah came a choice: to do what was right in the sight of the Lord or what was evil in His sight. Here, Jeremiah is given a sobering word about the coming judgment, and Manasseh's influence is specifically mentioned:
"I will hand them over to trouble, to all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem." Jeremiah 15:4
We are told in 2 Kings 21:6: "Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger." 2 Kings 21:6
Manasseh used his position and influence to pursue what was evil in his own heart, and he led others down the same path.
With every position of leadership comes a portion of influence. It may be as a parent, a coach, a team captain, a shift lead, a manager, or simply someone others look to. Wherever we are, we have some measure of influence over the people around us.
What will you do with yours?
No matter where we are in life, our choices can influence others. And what we do with that influence matters.
Do you want your life to point others to Christ? Do you want your life to be an example of what it looks like to follow Jesus?
Every day, we wake up with opportunities to make choices that honor Christ. As we submit our lives to the lordship of Jesus, we can influence those around us to pursue Him as well.
And, if we're honest, there isn't a better journey to invite others into. Following Christ is an adventure, and it is one I hope our lives encourage others to pursue.
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.