You Have Influence

Monday, October 19th, 2026

4:19 am

Good morning! Today I am in Acts 16:1-5. After Paul and Silas left Antioch of Syria, they went first to Derbe then to Lystra. In Lystra there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. Because Timothy was half Jew, and because of the Jews beliefs in the area, Paul arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left. Then they went from town to town instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. The churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.

Timothy's mother and grandmother were faithful believers of the Lord, and they highly influenced Timothy. So much so, that the believers of Lystra and Iconium regarded him highly, and Paul noticed him. Luke does not mention Timothy's grandmother here, but she is mentioned over in 2 Timothy 1. Timothy's mother and grandmother had major influence in his life, and he went on with Paul to influence and encourage many other people.

God wants our faith in Him to influence other people in mighty ways as well. He wants us to share our faith with all those around us, helping to spread the Good News. The more we get to know God, the more He encourages us and gives us the boldness we need to share our faith. He changes our lives and gives us powerful testimonies that we are to share with others. The more we get to know God and spend time with Him, the more He changes the way we do things and how we speak to others. That change seeps into everything we do, whether it is raising children, going to work, going to the store, or just being on social media, we have influence wherever we are. Never underestimate the power of your influence.