May 5, 2020
Influence #
Proverbs 19
Introduction
Sometimes as christians we get the idea, that we are powerless, and have no influence here on this earth. Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. We are to be a testimony. Much of that has to do with our influence on other people. As a young person right out of Bible college, a pastor whom I greatly respected recommended I read, “How to win friends and influence people.” A book, I never would have picked up and read on my own. There is a practical side to influencing people. If we want to have a good influence, which we should have in our community, we must understand these very practical truths from the Bible to help us understand our influence on people.
Understand, the work of God is a spiritual work, and you can ignore these truths, and still have God work, but I believe that just a little bit of kindness, compassion, and good influence on people, will make it much easier for them to open their heart to God. God doesn’t force his way into their life.
You can get off balance in this area, and ONLY measure your influence, and everything kind with no rebuke, but you would be in error. That is where I believe many many churches slide to, pleasing people.
I want to give you God’s version of how to win friends and influence people.
I. Selfishness or Sharing - Mindset #
Prov. 19:4 ¶ Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
A. Selfish Wealth #
1. The majority of this world thinks that wealth is the ultimate goal in life. #
- “Get all you can, can all you get, then sit on your can.” - worldly idea of selfishly getting all you can and keeping it for yourself.
- “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” - John Wesley -
2. Selfish wealth doesn’t make friends, so it is not wealth in and of itself, but rather our mindset towards it. #
B. Selfish poverty (4b) #
1. There is a poor mindset that easily separates people. #
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- Woah is me… Whinnie the Pooh character, Eor, poor me.
2. One of the things I learned in Peru, is just because you are poor, doesn’t mean you have to have a poor mindset. #
- The idea, you owe it to me, is a bad mindset that separates people.
C. Shared Wealth (4a) #
1. Being a giving person, shows compassion, and caring. #
2. Wealthy snob, is not a friend maker, unless friend is miss used. #
3. Caring is given mindset. #
- You are wealthy in Christ!
II. Service (Proverbs 19:6) #
Power (Prominence & thoughtfulness (good deeds)) - positive
Prov. 19:6 ¶ Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
A. Prince #
1. A prince would be a prominent person, in connection with riches, and power, and yet more accessible than a king. #
2. People would go to a prince to ask favor. #
3. Again, this would have to be a good prince, an approachable, favorable prince, not a selfish power hungry prince. #
Thinking of our church membership, I don’t know of anyone who is a prince…
B. Prominent position in Christ! #
- Gal 4:4-7
1. You may not be a prince in the worldly sense, and you may not carry the prominence in this world, but in a spiritual sense, you are. #
2. When people fall on hard times spiritually, you know who they will come looking for? The kind, caring compassionate princes of God! #
- Those that are known to walk with God, those that are known to have a relationship with God!
- Those who know how to get in touch with God!
III. Selfishness (Proverbs 19:7) #
We end on a negative note.
Prov. 19:7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
A. Poverty #
1. Physical poverty, causes people to flee from you. #
2. In Luke 15, the son that went into a far country, lived it up, and had friends. However, when he foolishly had “wasted his substance with riotous living.” No doubt with ‘friends’, when it was gone, found himself alone with the hogs! #
- Those friends were no longer around.
- In Job’s darkest moment, when he lost everything, only three of his friends came…
B. Separation #
1. The idea of being poor in mind, is that of I don’t have enough. #
2. It causes hatred! #
- Those who are always in need, and taking, but not giving become hated of others.