As someone who has a lot to say (runs in the Pound family), it becomes increasingly clear that my greatest tool to positively influence the lives of others is not my words, but the example of my own life.  With Twitter, Facebook, email, and yes, blogs, talk has never been cheaper or less effective---at least to bring about positive change. 

 Negative change is always easily effected, just as doing evil is so much easier than doing good. This doesn't mean that people whose vocation is largely talking (like pastors for example) are unimportant or irrelevant.  It merely means that it is all the more important for such people that their primary message be the one they live, not the one they preach.  

 In a time when we have super heroes, super pastors, mega churches and mega conferences, something so dull and unspectacular as how you live your daily life may not seem very influential.  But just as we must redefine power (resources for service) so we must also redefine

INFLUENCE:  contributing to the increase of goodness in individuals and society.

If the right use of power is service, the right use of influence is the increase of goodness.  

How do you want your life to influence others?

Overall, how are the people in your life different because of their contact with you?

I want to share two examples of people who have positively shaped my life by their example--

and how I am becoming a better person through my contact with them.

The first are my parents.  I am uniquely qualified to tell you that they are not perfect people, just as they are uniquely qualified to tell you I am not a perfect person.  They have told, or tried to tell, me many things in my lifetime.  Some I have heeded more than others.  

But more than anything they have said, it is what I have seen that has stuck with me.  

And what I have seen is a genuine humility and love for people.  And the two go hand in hand.

Generally, we have problems loving people when we see them as inferior to us in some way (not as smart, not as holy, not as dedicated, etc.)  It really does become much easier to love people when you find them interesting and special.  I don't think my parents have ever met someone they couldn't find something good in.  And here is the kicker, when people can tell you care about them, they generally begin to care for you.

And that simple, consistent, humble care and concern for others has left a lifetime of impact on rich and poor, educated and uneducated, young and old.

When people tell me my Dad is a great preacher, I always want to say: 

'That's nothing, you should see the kind of humble man he is.  Now THAT is something!'

I asked my Dad to join a pastors panel to answer questions from those attending a pastors conference we put on.  A man and his wife were clearly speaking from experience as they asked him how he deals with people in his congregation who cause him pain over and over.  Expressing emotion is not common among Thai people, but this couple was visibly shaken.  My dad answered gently and did all he could to encourage the couple.  We broke for lunch and our translator came to me and said:

'Matt, I think we should all pray for that couple, they seem very discouraged.'

I was so impressed with her perceptiveness, I thanked her and promised I would gather everyone at lunch to pray together.  I went out to the cafeteria and before I got there my Dad, feeling led to hug the man (also an uncommon thing in Thai culture) and encourage him further, found him and embraced him.  The man was startled at first, then he began to weep and he clung to my Dad.  

It was one of the most powerful things I have seen in my time here.

Better still, all the people at the conference, left their food came and surrounded the two pastors, put their hands on them and began to pray to the Father who loves us. When Thais pray, everyone prays out loud at once.  It was like a beautiful chorus of pleading on this couple's behalf.  My Dad's example inspired everyone there.  And that is only the beginning.  When these pastors serve their people, that example will be before their minds (I know it will be before mine, I will never forget it). 

 Example sticks with us long after clever words have faded from our memory.  

What is the example of my life?

It is somewhat frightening to realize that our lives say for more about us than anything we have ever verbalized, signed, or confessed to.  

The second example is the couple we work with at Faithful Heart, Dave and Shirley Callahan. Some lessons can only be learned by experience and patient persistence is such a one.  Another trait that unfortunately also runs in the Pound family is to stress over all sorts of things.  And this is where Dave and Shirley's influence has influenced me.

Dave and Shirley have learned through more experience than they would probably have asked for, that the kind of work that endures the test of time is not accomplished through mere human effort. This has led them to a profound conclusion: 

Prayer is not a last resort, but a first, middle, and last resort.  

Bad news?  Talk to God, ask for help.

Good news?  Thank God.

Impossible task before us?  Pray.

Complete change of plans from what we expected?  Pray.

Uncertainty about tomorrow?  Pray.  

I am sometimes surprised by how their attitude wears off on me.  I feel that stress boiling up in me, what will we do?  How can we pay for that?  What if... 

But the more I grow confident in God's care, and the more I train myself to talk to Him about everything in my life, the less that stress holds me.  And it is a wonderful feeling.  

One more time:  How is your life influencing others?

How would you like it to be influencing others?  

Go be the change, go preach with your life.  

Being, preaching, messing up, and trying again with you;

Love, 

Matt, Audrey,  & fuzzy Ez