I Choose Today to Be an Influencer and Imitator

I’ve been reading John Maxwell’s book Developing the Leader Within You, and he talks about how influence leaves a mark on our everyday lives.

He shares this quote:

“No one can understand that mysterious thing we call influence… yet… every one of us continually exerts influence, either to heal, to bless, to leave marks of beauty; or to wound, to hurt, to poison, to stain other lives.”

Influence is powerful. It often works quietly, shaping our actions, decisions, and the way we interact with others—sometimes without us even realizing it.

A recent trip to the grocery store reminded me just how real this is.

My husband and I went to a specialty grocery store to buy a specific bread for an event. We ended up with ten packages of it in our cart. As we were checking out, the man in front of us stepped away from the register and came back with six packages of the very same bread. He laughed and said, “I saw how many you were buying, and I figured it must be really good!”

He didn’t know us. We didn’t say a word to him about the bread. Yet in that moment, our simple action influenced his decision. We became “influencers,” and he imitated us.

It made me think—if this is the power of influence over something as small as bread, how much more should we be intentional about the influence we have over things that actually matter?

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:1:

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” (NLT)

He goes on to explain how in verse 2:

“Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” (MSG)

When we imitate Christ, our influence naturally points people toward Him. His love was bold, generous, and sacrificial. He didn’t love to get—He loved to give.

Jesus Himself laid out His mission in Luke 4:18–19:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,

that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” (NLT)

Jesus didn’t just talk about love—He lived it. He met physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. He offered hope.

Leadership expert John Maxwell echoes this truth when he says:

“…you can love people without leading them, but you cannot lead people without loving them.”

Every day, whether we realize it or not, we are influencing those around us. The question is: what kind of influence are we leaving behind? Are we pointing people toward hope, freedom, and love—or toward something less lasting?

Today, I choose to be an influencer by first being an imitator—imitating Christ’s extravagant love so that His light and hope flow through my life into the lives of others.

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Today’s Step

Take a moment to reflect on your influence today.

Open your “door” to Jesus and ask:

“Lord, help me love like You love. Show me one way I can influence someone’s life for good today.”

Then follow through with that act of love—no matter how small. You never know who might be watching and be moved closer to Him because of it.