Been Thinkin About "Influence."

A Precious Family Member of mine was getting a rare service honor last week and he asked me to participate in the service. Now if you're not familiar with the Baptist Church and how it functions let me give you the helicopter view of the ordaining of a Deacon.

A Deacon is a "servant" leader Not a boss leader. He has qualifications and is usually trained for a period of time by a Deacon. He serves the people of that particular Church. He gets the position by the Church recognizing his servant leadership skills. He does have influence but he never abuses it. There is a special service to recognize this.

The office of Deacon is a humbling honor. I mentioned already that they do have influence. But really we all have influence, don't we? I am a John Maxwell fan and in his book Developing The Leader Within You, he shares a short list of insights on influence; 1. Everyone influences someone. 2. We never know who Or how much we Influence. 3. The best investment in the future is a proper influence today. 4. Influence is a skill that can be developed.

A-men!, us Baptist would say. But let me apply that to life with the rest of the story. Because if no illustration then no application. Shakespeare says there are "sermons in stones", then surely there are some "orations in an ordination."

In the Church I attend there is a meeting before the service where all ordained men are invited to attend to come to interview the candidates. That's a blog in itself. In that meeting you get the order of the service and who does what. My "part" is to give my nephew his Certificate of Ordination, say something (or nothing, a hug will do) and go sit down. It is an honor. Let me give you a clue to the end of this story, I ain't gonna go quietly.

Since, there are 2 candidates and each candidates has a person to give him a Bible and a person to give the certificate that adds up to 6 people on that stage...and I'm last. Now folks I really do believe in #1-4 above. #1. I don't think I have influence with everyone on the stage but I know I have influence on one of them. I invested in his life. Now he is going to be a Deacon. I know intimately what that is because I was one and having pastored over 35 years I had a few great ones. ( and a couple of stinkers)

#2. I am about to say something in a microphone for everyone to hear. I'm aware that most listening are family members of the candidates or part of the Church. But I'm talking to someone I love and want to help.

#3. Deacons have influence and even Church folks are misguided in their hearts so I have strong convictions against manipulation. (please read these last sentence of #1) I shared about a teenage boy who was playing basketball in his driveway with friends after school. The game got a little rough, he was fouled and lost a contact in the driveway at dusk. Game over. Everyone goes home while he looks for an hour for his contact. Finally, he gives up and goes inside to tell his Mom. She comes out to where he said he lost it and she found it in 5 minutes. "How did you find it so fast Mom?" he asked. She replied, "Well Son, you were looking for a piece of plastic but I was looking for $150." My point to my future Deacon was folks are going to come to you with junk and the next words out of your mouth will choose which side you're on. So take time to pray before you answer. Our God will never give a plastic answer but always give the $150 one.

#4. The way you work on influence is to use it. I am still working on it.

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