My Sphere of Influence
My Sphere of Influence
We are all familiar with the cliché, “Jack of all trades and master of none”. When it comes to our life’s purpose and accomplishing it, this cliché becomes very important for our consideration and deliberation. We also understand that laser beam is a focused light that can cut through even a thick wall. The power of the laser technology comes from focus and concentration. It appears that Apostle Paul considered the consequences of being “Jack of all trades” and applied the laser principle (focus and concentration) through out his ministry and life. Let’s get insight from Paul’s writing in Romans.
Romans 15:15-19
15I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.
There are a couple of observations we can make from the above scriptures.
1. Paul understood who commissioned him (by the Grace of God) and whom he was sent to (the Gentiles not the Jews). We must understand our sphere of influence since we all have been commissioned by the same grace of God as Paul. My sphere may not be yours. Our spheres should at least include our immediate family and extended, neighbors, work or school colleagues. God has put us in these specific spheres for a reason. I could not have been born in Russia, but rather God placed me in a specific family and with specific extended family members that I did not choose in the specific country of Nigeria.
2. Paul understood what the mission is: to proclaim what Christ has done for the Gentiles. He also understood the end product: that the Gentiles may be sanctified and acceptable to God and not to Paul. I only want to be an instrument that enables someone know that God by his grace has accepted all sinners if we turn to him. We have received grace; therefore we must be dispensers of God’s grace within our sphere.
3. Paul also understood clearly who was doing the real work and that it was not him. The Holy Spirit was doing the sanctification and “what Christ has accomplished through me”. Real influence and impact will be through our words and through the actions the Holy Spirit inspires us to take. It may be as mundane as changing the diapers or doing the laundry. Charity begins at home.
4. Paul also understood that words alone are not enough because talk is cheap. He demonstrated his words by his love in action – “Gentiles obey God by what I said and done”. It will cost us something just as it did for Apostle Paul. May we become creative in putting love into action. You can only accomplish what you are focused on. Vision is focus. Lord, give us focused vision.
5. Paul also went only to new territories and not afraid of venturing out for God. Paul did not want to compete with other ministers. There are people within our sphere of influence we have not approached. Within our work, family or school, we need to reach out to new people not always the same people we are only comfortable with. Visit a family member or neighbor you are not used to visiting. You may be surprised to see what a miracle it will bring.
6. Finally, Paul realized that his sphere of influence has time limits – a beginning and an end. Within this period, the portion God assigned to us had to be completed. When our time comes close to an end can we say like Paul, “So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.”
What is your sphere of influence? Being in my late forties, I realize that the time for me is getting shorter to impact my sphere. Will you pray for me that God will help me say like Paul I have “fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ” and that those within my sphere would be sanctified and found “acceptable to God”. I will pray the same for you.
We are all familiar with the cliché, “Jack of all trades and master of none”. When it comes to our life’s purpose and accomplishing it, this cliché becomes very important for our consideration and deliberation. We also understand that laser beam is a focused light that can cut through even a thick wall. The power of the laser technology comes from focus and concentration. It appears that Apostle Paul considered the consequences of being “Jack of all trades” and applied the laser principle (focus and concentration) through out his ministry and life. Let’s get insight from Paul’s writing in Romans.
Romans 15:15-19
15I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.
There are a couple of observations we can make from the above scriptures.
1. Paul understood who commissioned him (by the Grace of God) and whom he was sent to (the Gentiles not the Jews). We must understand our sphere of influence since we all have been commissioned by the same grace of God as Paul. My sphere may not be yours. Our spheres should at least include our immediate family and extended, neighbors, work or school colleagues. God has put us in these specific spheres for a reason. I could not have been born in Russia, but rather God placed me in a specific family and with specific extended family members that I did not choose in the specific country of Nigeria.
2. Paul understood what the mission is: to proclaim what Christ has done for the Gentiles. He also understood the end product: that the Gentiles may be sanctified and acceptable to God and not to Paul. I only want to be an instrument that enables someone know that God by his grace has accepted all sinners if we turn to him. We have received grace; therefore we must be dispensers of God’s grace within our sphere.
3. Paul also understood clearly who was doing the real work and that it was not him. The Holy Spirit was doing the sanctification and “what Christ has accomplished through me”. Real influence and impact will be through our words and through the actions the Holy Spirit inspires us to take. It may be as mundane as changing the diapers or doing the laundry. Charity begins at home.
4. Paul also understood that words alone are not enough because talk is cheap. He demonstrated his words by his love in action – “Gentiles obey God by what I said and done”. It will cost us something just as it did for Apostle Paul. May we become creative in putting love into action. You can only accomplish what you are focused on. Vision is focus. Lord, give us focused vision.
5. Paul also went only to new territories and not afraid of venturing out for God. Paul did not want to compete with other ministers. There are people within our sphere of influence we have not approached. Within our work, family or school, we need to reach out to new people not always the same people we are only comfortable with. Visit a family member or neighbor you are not used to visiting. You may be surprised to see what a miracle it will bring.
6. Finally, Paul realized that his sphere of influence has time limits – a beginning and an end. Within this period, the portion God assigned to us had to be completed. When our time comes close to an end can we say like Paul, “So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.”
What is your sphere of influence? Being in my late forties, I realize that the time for me is getting shorter to impact my sphere. Will you pray for me that God will help me say like Paul I have “fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ” and that those within my sphere would be sanctified and found “acceptable to God”. I will pray the same for you.
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