Your Christian marriage has the potential to influence a lot of people. God wants us to influence the world in a positive way, not stand idly by as the world continues on the path to hell. How can our marriages help others? I found out first hand just how much my behavior changed those around me.
This past Saturday the area in which I live received some snow, so naturally my kids wanted to go outside and play in it. I dressed my children appropriately for the weather, adorning them with their winter coats/hats, snowsuits and snow boots. I, however, was dressed cozy but my clothing was not water repellant so the next day my throat felt sore and I could hardly speak.
My mind was ok ,but my voice was not! I could do everything else that I would normally do but speak. It didn’t matter how much I wanted to discipline the kids from another room, I had to go to them and look them in the eyes while I talked to them. Otherwise, my kids would not be able to hear me or understand me because my voice periodically would give out. I found that the way I spoke influence the way other people interacted with me. It didn’t matter where I was or who I was talking to, everyone I interacted with whispered because I was whispering.
It dawned on me that people will interact with you the same way you interact with them. If you want people to be more patient with you, then you must be more patient with them. Whatever response you desire from others you must first treat them that way . “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” Luke 6:31
I wonder what kind of world we would have, if every Christian marriage and individual, began to interact with people the way God would have us. Truthfully, we influence people every day in the way we interact with them in word, deed, and through our nonverbal communication. The real question is, how is our current interaction with people enhancing God’s kingdom?
Challenge: Test what you have just read. Change the way you interact with people. If you don’t normally smile, smile throughout the day. If you are normally loud, speak softly to everyone and see how your behavior changes their behavior. You will notice that you have a greater influence over people then you may think, we must pray and ask God to help us influence them in a positive manor.
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