In the book, The Fourth Turning, an insightful generational study by William Strauss and Neil Howe, the authors suggest that we communicate through our lives across a vast reach of time, in family, church or business.
So, I recalled the oldest person who had influenced my life, my grandfather, Willis Monroe Jolly, born in Missouri in 1877.
Looking back.
‘Grandpa’ Jolly came to Washington State in 1900, a young lad growing up in an era of industrial revolution. A hardscrabble farmer, he saw the invention of the light bulb, the airplane and the Model T Ford; remembered the sinking of the Titanic and Lindbergh’s flight to Europe; lived through the Wall Street Crash and two world wars; experienced the death of his wife (he never remarried) when the youngest of his seven children was just a baby; once converted, he helped start the small village church in which he worshipped God faithfully the rest of his life, and where I, too, became a follower of Jesus Christ. The distance between this influential person’s birth year and the present is my memory span back in time.
Looking forward.
Next, I went in the opposite direction, the probable life span of the youngest person whose life I will influence. At present, this is our 16-month-old great grandson, Finn. He and his older brother, Corbin, almost five, are part of today’s fastest growing age segment. I may be holding in my arms a centenarian who could live a hundred years or more. Adding these two periods together, linking the lives of those who influenced me with the lives of those who are being influenced by me, my span of influence extends from 1877-2116, or 239 years!
We are women and men of influence.
You try it. See with fresh eyes your own power and responsibility to “influence the generations” in your family, church, business and community. We are bombarded daily by influencers whose values are not those of Jesus. To say there is nothing we can do to counteract this is just not true!
Paul and Silas might have said that. They could have quit in Thessalonica after being attacked by haters of the gospel. Instead they went to Berea and beyond, searched out others who received their message with enthusiasm, met with them daily to examine the Scriptures, and “many prominent in the community believed, women and men of influence” (Acts 17:10-12 Italics mine). That would be us. We can do this!
Paul understood the power of influence. He drew from the eldest and most influential of his rabbinical teachers. He searched the timeless Torah (“Teaching” – Five Books of Moses), the Nevi’im (“Prophets”) and Ketuvim (“Writings”) that made up the Hebrew Tanakh, and the post-resurrection accounts of his peers. He extended his influence to future generations in Silas and Mark and Timothy and a host of other Christ followers. His words and writings (New Testament) remain transformational to the present day.
Don’t underestimate the spiritual leverage you possess, the inspiration your life can be to others, farmer or fisherman, carpenter or coach, pastor or politician. “Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately” (2 Tim. 2:15).
I’M IN! Let’s influence the generations surrounding us for Christ!
Leave A Comment