Impact

We have looked at the impact made on ourselves when we live in connection to God. We are peaceful, happy, joyful, loving, kind, and have an ease with life that cannot be matched except in connection to God. So what kind of impact do we have on the world and the people around us when we live in connection to God? Living in connection to God is the way we have the power of making a strong, immediate impression on others and our world.

But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

Galatians 5:22-24

When we live in connection to God (see the last post) we begin to have a kindness for others and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people! I love this line! When living in connection with God we begin to see only the good, the God, in things and people! This gives us an exuberance, a joy, for life because we can see God everywhere. We have a peace that helps us see things through, to be persistant because we know we are cared for. We do not need to force things to be as we think they should be, we allow them as God has created. We have a compassion that fills our hears and we no longer want to get our own way. We no longer mindlessly respond to life, but thoughtfully, lovingly, kindly, and compassionately respond to life.

This can do nothing but impact the world and those around us for the good. People feel a sense of peace and respect in our presence. People and their energy levels are lifted up in our presence. Everyone feels a sense of peace, joy, and being loved. People want to know how we have come to a place free from worry, full of love, and full of serenity. People are attracted to this kind of energy. We actually become imitators of God and of Christ:

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. 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.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Imagine for a moment if our evangelism was not about just "getting souls saved" for someday out there. Imagine if evangelism was loving people just as they are, allowing them to be ushered into the presence of God because they have been in the presence of someone who had an impact through the imitation of God. Imagine it and then live it!

Namaste'