Influence-Five Minute Friday

Originally I was to going to write a poem about ripples in a pond, but then I heard the tail end of David Jeremiah's message this morning and knew I needed to go in a different direction.

Influence

Have you ever noticed what people have a habit of doing at funerals? It wasn't until I started attending them quite regularly the past few years, when I realized everyone talks about how great their recently lost loved one was. 

I began to wonder whether they ever told them these things while they were still alive. I would much rather someone tell me while I'm alive how I've influenced them, than wait until I'm pushing up daisies from six feet under. Wouldn't you?

I'm so thankful I took the time to write a thank you letter to a favorite professor of mine in college. He actually wrote me back. See his response below.

STOP

I learned years later he passed away at the young age of 53. We never know when the bell will toll or for whom on each day. May we all take time to tell people thank you for how they have influenced us because the funeral really is too late!

1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (NIV)

Check out what others are doing to influence their readers this week.www.fiveminutefriday.com