For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. — Romans 5:19
I have always been amazed by stories of people making a difference. It seems every year, I hear a story about how someone stepped up beyond their normal responsibilities and did something extraordinary.
Perhaps it was helping a family in need. Perhaps it was donating to a charitable cause and making an extravagant difference in the operations of the charity. Sometimes people underestimate the influence that one person can have.
Throughout scripture, we are given examples of people who had an effect on other lives. In Hebrews, we see what is called a “roll call of faith” of people who made a difference. That difference can be just in a local area, or a major difference, as described here in Romans 5.
Each and every one of us has an influence. The things that we do each and everyday matter. The real question becomes, what type of influence are we having in our area? Are we influencing others into sin or are we influencing them into good? Romans gives a great example here. Adam pushed all of humanity into sin while Christ’s actions gave a way for all to be saved from sin.
We may never have influence over all of humanity, but each of us will leave a lasting impression on people around us. Are we influencing them to follow Christ and the things of God, or are we influencing them to sin? You can make a difference by living a Christian life in front of others to point them to Christ. Let’s strive to be the right kind of influence on those around us!