I have forgotten a lot of the things I was taught in high school. I have forgotten how to solve the Pythagorean Theorem. I have forgotten almost all of the French language I had learned. I can't even remember who the tenth president was. However, I can remember an interesting statement about influence. More than one teacher instructed us to be on our best behavior in front of the younger kids. They would say, "You never know who is watching you." In other words, we needed to watch our actions because if a younger, impressionable child saw us doing something wrong, he might emulate that wrong. It is a practical concept I have constantly tried to remember. However, my influence on those closest to me is perhaps more important. It is easy to get into the "comfort zone" with those we love. We feel we can relax and let our guard down. When this happens, we can become less aware of our influence toward them. We must remember they are watching us as well.

Let us imagine that a man is coming home from work. He has had a difficult day at the office, but he has maintained his composure because he is a Christian and wants to influence others in a positive manner. However, he "lets his guard down" at home and is bitter, distant and cold toward his wife and kids. Most of the time, he is a great father and spouse, but not today. The next day he has an even more difficult day, but his demeanor at work is that of a Christian. Therefore, he shines even though the situation is severely affecting him. Again he comes home and takes it out on his family. He is not mean or abusive, but he is not displaying the same attention to his influence as he does at his job. Why? Is his family less important? Sometimes we may think our family "knows how we really are" and will overlook our attitude. However, these are the times when our influence can have the greatest impact.

The book of Ruth is a fantastic story in a difficult time in Israel's history. It is definitely a story of influence. In the beginning of the the book, Naomi loses her husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Before her sons died, they married two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. After the deaths in her family, Naomi wanted to leave Moab and return to the land of Judah. She told the wives of her sons to each return to their mother's house in Moab (Ruth 1: 8). However, Ruth did not want to leave Naomi's side. Ruth said, "For where you will go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die" (Ruth 1:16,17). This is a tremendous statement of loyalty, but why is Ruth so loyal? Her loyalty is do in part to the influence of Naomi. Ruth's statement about "Naomi's God becoming her God" is a testament to the faith of Naomi. She had influenced Ruth in such a way that Ruth did not want to ever leave her. She was going to be completely devoted to her in all aspects of her life.

Naomi had suffered much more than simply a "bad day at the office." But throughout her life, she had definitely influenced Ruth. Later in the book, Ruth marries Boaz, a kinsman of Elimelech. She would later conceive a child who would become the father of Jesse. Jesse would eventually become the father of David. More importantly, this is the lineage of Jesus. Our influence toward anyone has implications. But our influence toward our family often has implications far be yond imagination.

By Will Dilbeck via News & Notes, April 16, 2006.

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