Invitational Influence
One person who was invited to church told me and I quote “my sister said I should come along”. Isn’t that interesting that one person can speak to another in that manner? We sometimes rail against people telling us anything. But when our family members invite us, there may well be, so much in the bank account of that relationship, that the invitation turns into a command and it is accepted because of the relationship. We see something similar in Jesus when he said to the first disciples “follow me!” Quite a bold statement for somebody they had just met. In the Acts of the Apostles it talks about the Centurion who became a Christian, and then it says his whole household followed suit. But I think both highlight the invitational pull some of us have with our friends and family. The word influence means to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behaviour, and opinions of others. When we hear a inspiring sermon, or an idea that seems right we can be influenced to change. In the same way parents can have influence over children, and children over parents, cousins with cousins and sisters with their brothers, friends with friends. Stephen Covey calls it the emotional bank account, which we build up by taking time to understand our friends/family, attending to the little things that count, and keeping commitments. Don’t underestimate the influence you have on your circle of family and friends and ask God who you might invite