Influenced - Anita van der Elst

Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God. 

~3 John 11 NLT

Bad examples are everywhere. Even we Christians have a tendency to act according to our sin nature and do hurtful things. And that includes a finger pointing at myself. 

As I thought about avoiding behaviors that I shouldn’t emulate, I realized this is not just refraining from following in the footsteps of those who do wrong. The question is, how am I influenced by their unkind and disobedient actions? Do I let what they’ve done affect my attitude or get in the way of my relationship with Jesus?

I realized that when I dwell on the hurtful actions or words toward me and become resentful, I am letting those bad examples influence me. When other believers act poorly, I should not be affected one way or another by them. My course as a child of God is to follow the good path. 

One part of that course involves confessing to Jesus my own sin of harboring resentment and repenting of it. He welcomes me to do so. Because Christ died for all my sins, I am cleansed by the blood He shed. His Holy Spirit is ready and able to help me follow the good. Jesus made it clear that we should pray for those who act spitefully. By doing so, our feet are right in step with Him.

Think of attitudes you need to evaluate that have been influenced by others’ bad behavior. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in confession and repentance.  

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.