The Direction Of Influence

Luke 5:12-13

Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. (Luke 5:13)

ANCIENT HEBREW LAWS WERE aimed at protecting God’s people from harmful influences, both spiritual and physical. Lepers, for example, were marginalized so their disease would not infect others (Leviticus 13:45-46). Proverbs instructs those who want to be wise to hang out with the wise rather than risk being affected by the contagion of fools (13:20). The direction of influence in both cases suggested that the pure could be corrupted by the impure and that the negative influence was stronger than the positive. To remain good, pure, wise, healthy, and clean, one had to stay away from corrupting agents.

But Jesus reversed that trend. Rather than avoiding lepers, he touched them. Rather than avoiding sinners, he spent time with them, even allowing himself to be accused of impurity and corruption. Why? Because the cleanness in him was stronger than the uncleanness in anyone else. Instead of his purity being tainted, the impurity of others was undone by his presence. The negative suddenly became less powerful and less influential than the positive. He flipped the narrative in favor of the new, incorruptible nature God has given his people.

“Bad company corrupts good character,” a well-known saying from the Greek poet Menander, still applies for those who are not secure in their own identity. Paul even used it as a warning for an immature church (1 Corinthians 15:33). But for those who know their God, know their identity, and are secure in the cleansing Jesus has given us, the narrative changes. We can go into the world without fear of being corrupted, be exposed to lies without wavering in truth, and befriend those who lack convictions without worrying about losing our own. We can be more confident in the positive influence we have than in any negative influence others have over us.

Know who you are, live with conviction, and do not fear the world. You can change the atmosphere of a room just by being in it. You can influence those around you just by having unshakable trust in God. His power inside you is greater than the pressures outside of you. Live with unwavering faith.

{Lord, make me like Jesus. Let me mature in him so thoroughly that the power inside of me overcomes the powers outside of me. Give me holy influence over all that is unholy in this world. Amen.