Thoughts: Who is happening to you?

I recently attended a bible rally in Athen, GA and one of the sermons preached there was entitled Influence. Without going into too much depth about it, what I took away from it was how important it is to question our influences. Not necessarily to ask, what happened to me, us or you? (depending on the subject) but to be more accurate and ask the question, “Who happened to you?”

How often is the latter question posed? It can be honestly stated that the former is much more common in bad times. At the same time, is the latter question enquired when an individual has gone through a positive change? I would argue very rarely, but that is just in my opinion.

As I searched through both hard and soft resources , I found that “ influence” takes on a number of definitions. Merriam-Webster defined it, in this context, as the power capacity of causing an affect directly or indirectly. It goes on to express that influence can be negative. “...mean power exerted over the minds or behaviour of others” . Wikipedia offered a number of categories. The one applicable to this topic is that of social influence, which is said to be when the actions or thoughts of an individual are changed by another individual. This is also known as a type of persuasion.

Altogether we can see, given our own definitions and that which are offered by the officials, that the result of influence is change. Whether it be negative or positive, there is a change that happens. Some changes are more apparent then others, but the end result is change. For example, the fashions and fads over the decades have evolved and have influenced our dress codes, the music we listen to and even the way we speak.

Fashion, fads and time answers the question “What happened?”, but let us challenge ourselves by asking “Who happened?” If we look back at American Black History, the negative responses can be identified as the slave master, the KKK and William Lynch. However, on a more positive note, the likes of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and more recently Barack Obama, are individuals that have had and are having great influence on a number of people.

Hoping that by now that you understand the route we are taking, can you be honest enough to identify your personal influences and who has happened and is happening to you? It is important to know, in my opinion, because it can identify where you have been and where you are going. It allows one to recognize the growth, or lack, in them as a person. So with direction and development as a focus, where are you currently standing?

Realize that your influences take part in your decision making, mentally, spiritually and physically. Comprehend the power that your environment and what you give yourself to on a daily basis can form your perceptions and even your level of tolerance towards certain things.

Sharing my experience, the music I listen to has more of an emotional and spiritual influence over me (consciously), but what I didn’t realise is that it also had a mental influence (subconsciously). This is to say that it brought a change in me. This was not instantaneous but as I continued to give myself over to the music I used to listen to that glorified murder, anger, hate, sex, money, promiscuity and pain, I became a person, with little respect compassion for anyone who had crossed me and even men. When I was exposed to such things in real life, I had come to an understanding that it was life because I was able to tolerate it. This is just one aspect to my past and how something seen as a form of entertainment had such a negative influence over me. Now that is what happened to me. There is no need for me to expose who happened to me, because it is in the past.

So have I changed? Of course, but as long as it took for me to get into that state, it has taken me a while to change. My influences have changed. I once was blind but now I see. Who happened to me? Jesus did. And with my new sight, he has given me discernment. This is to say that I am able to distinguish what and who is good for me. The bible says that a tree is known by the fruit it produces (Matthew 12:33)This is to say that if we as people are trees then whatever we produce is our fruit. For example; if you know someone who is a “good” person, but is selling drugs. It’s sad but true when it is concluded that you shouldn’t hang around that person. They are not a good influence, they produce bad fruit.

So, I stated who happened to me, but why did it happen? Because I realised that everyone had flaws and no one was perfect, hence why I was unable to create a GOOD standard to live by. The rich and famous, my parents, my friends were just as messed up as I was, (we all have issues)so I lived for myself. But God is good (we all say it), Jesus said “….No one is good – except God”. Jesus is perfect and without sin, so He created my standard. So I repented – where repentance does not mean to confess your sins but to be sincerely sorry for what you have done and turn away from your sin, CHANGE my mind and heart – and followed a more righteous, holy and pure standard.

I don’t listen to the same music, I don’t hang around the people I used to, I don’t go to the places that I used to frequent and I don’t speak the way I used to. I have a new focus and direction.
This article is not meant to be about me, but I use my life as a testimony to what influence can do, both negative and positive. So, please take the time today and ask yourself that question WHO IS HAPPENING TO YOU? What are you governed by and is it good? If so, by what standard? Is it flawless? I leave you with the following scripture. Keep it in mind when you meet people and when you are going through good and bad times.

“Do not be deceived, “Evil company corrupts good habits” 1 Corinthians 15:33