Your Sphere of Influence

"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours." John 17:6-9

How powerful are these words from Jesus as he prays to the Father. These words spoke to me in such a different way when I read them today. How interesting that Jesus says he is not praying for the WORLD but for THOSE God has given him. What a vivid reminder that it is GOD who gives us people in our spheres of influences to share the Good News of Him with and to disciple. It is the duty of EVERY Christian to share Christ and make disciples of the people God has given them influence over. And how incredible that God so beautifully matches these people with the gifts and talents He's given us.

Our individual spheres of influences take so many different forms. For me, God has put specific people into my life as a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, pastor's wife, and teacher. Take my sphere of influence as a teacher in a public school for instance; God has put many people into my "world" there-my students, their parents, community leaders, and my fellow collegues-whether they are teachers, media specialists, or custodial staff, the parents, etc. Or another part of my sphere of influence-being the wife of a Student Pastor-the youth, college students, and even kids. And one day in the near future my sphere of influence will expand globally as we move to South Sudan and make disciples of the precious people there!

So it is really FANTASTIC how God has a purpose specific to each of our lives. If we only surrender to Him COMPLETELY: We must truly do as Romans 12:1 says "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." God does have our best in mind!