“If you had left, we would have left, too.” Her words shocked me. I never imagined that our decision to stay or leave the church after the change in leadership would have had such an impact. More details about that later, but that experience made me intensely aware of this truth: Someone is always watching. Someone is always watching me, and someone is always watching you. You may not feel like your decisions impact anyone, but let me tell you emphatically that you are wrong!

It doesn’t matter who you are or what your history, there are people that only you will reach for the Gospel. Your mistakes and sins may be the very things that God uses to help someone else draw near to Him. As you respond with grace and integrity, you will show others that God forgives and changes lives. People need to see examples of lives that are being transformed by the power of the Gospel. Lives like yours. 

You don’t believe me, do you? Well, it is true. So, let me elaborate and encourage you. 

Don’t minimize your own influence. Your example is just as needed as the person in a public position. American Idol is just one example of our celebrity-worshipping culture. Everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame. Some seek after it by their talent. Others have planned outrageous stunts just to gain national attention. You’ve seen the headlines. People seem to think that their value is based on how many people know their name. 

Sadly, the church is not immune to celebrity-worship. People who just want to know Jesus better are overwhelmed with the myriad of YouTube teachings, TV programs, internet articles and blog posts. The underlying belief of many media consumers is that if someone is on TV or the Internet, then they must be special, they must have a direct pipeline to God and so what they have to say must be true. They must know. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Not only that, church members are often admired simply because they are in a prominent position. Someone who sings on the platform is implicitly considered more important than the person who serves in children‘s church because more people see what they do. We evaluate people by their gifts rather than their character. None of this is healthy or appropriate. That isn’t the way God evaluates any of us. 

The people who live close to you, your family, co-workers, neighbors, the people who see the real you, need to see just that, the real you. They need to see how Jesus makes a difference in your life, just as the people close to me need to see the difference He makes in mine. A public person, no matter how genuine, can only share small portions of their real life with the larger audience. People will most likely see them at their best and not have the balance of everyday living to give them an accurate idea of that person’s character. 

When it comes to the people in your life, you have the advantage over the TV personality and your own pastor. You have the ability to let people see how Jesus affects every area of your life. How you respond differently than you used to in any number of situations, how you react to the little annoyances that used to set you off or how you respond to the fears that used to send you into a tizzy, these will have an influence on the people who live closest to you. As they see you daily conforming to the image of Christ Himself, you give them an example that is accessible. They will see you mess up and make corrections, asking forgiveness when you hurt them. Something they will never get from an internet or TV preacher! They are more likely to feel like they might be able to follow your example than that of the public Christian who is put on a pedestal because they can only show their best self and seem to have it all together. 

Someone is always watching the way you live.  Live in a manner worthy of the Gospel.  It never occurred to me that anyone was watching me and how I lived until we went through a very public crisis as church leaders. Tom had been an associate pastor on staff, but, through a season of depression, he lost his position. All our ministry dreams were dashed. We had to step down from every area of leadership. We considered leaving the church because the situation caused us so much pain. But as we prayed, it became clear that to leave was not God’s will. So, we stayed and began to heal. A year later, after we had returned to a somewhat normal life, Tom was out of the depression and in another job, I was having a conversation with a friend who had served with us on the ministry team we had been leading. She mentioned that if we had left the church she and her family would have left as well. That shocked me. Our own pain was so intense that we were unable to realize how the situation affected those around us. But because we listened to God’s direction for us, even though it was hard and not what we wanted, it affected others positively. They chose to walk through their pain instead of run from it, just as we had. That was the example we had unknowingly set for them. I had never Imagined that this would be the case. 

Your godly example is exactly what someone else needs. As you stay true to the Gospel in your everyday choices you help others to draw closer to God. People notice a lot more than you think. The thing to keep in mind is that the people In your inner circle will notice the small changes in your life. They will notice when you remain calm instead of freaking out the way you used to. They will notice that you respond with gentleness at the times when you used to react with harsh words. They will notice that you are able to give love when you used to be selfishly self-focused. People will see the difference Jesus is making in your life. They really will!  And your example of a transforming life may be just what they need in order to begin wondering if Jesus can transform them as well. 

Dear One, you may feel small and insignificant, but you aren’t! You may not be on a platform, but God has given you an area of influence that is unique. It’s a place the public preachers and Christian performers can’t fill. The people in your life need you. They need you to show them what it means fo follow Jesus. As you follow Him whole-heartedly you are lighting the path for them. Don’t worry about your fifteen minutes of fame. Live a life of faithfulness and you will have a more meaningful impact than you can ever realize. 

Key thought: Your example is exactly what someone else needs to lead them closer to Christ. 

A Scripture to consider: “Don’t let anyone think less of you...Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 Timothy‬ ‭4:12 ‭NLT‬‬

A YES challenge: Think of some people in your life that don’t know the Lord. Has your example helped them to see Jesus a little more clearly? How could your example make a difference in their lives? Make a commitment to pray for those people and be intentional about living a godly example for them. 

Prayer:  Father, it is often hard for me to believe that my small and large decisions really impact someone else. Help me to stay connected to You. Help me to keep You and Your will my main focus. Help me to make choices that please You, from the smallest judgement to the largest commitment. Help me to live for Your glory and let my transforming life lead others closer to You. Amen