"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16
Last week I shared about Excellence, how the spirit with which we do our work is one of the most powerful forms of witness available to a leader. This week I want to build directly on that because excellence done consistently over time produces something powerful that every leader carries, whether they are intentional about it or not. Influence! The question is never whether we have influence. The question is whether we are stewarding it well and whether it is pointing people toward something eternal. I got to see this first-hand this past week at Silicon Y'all. This is an event our Enterprise Team (formerly our Tech Practice) has hosted for the past 12 years. This event exudes authenticity, excellence, and hospitality, and the fruit is influence!
As leaders, we sit in seats of unusual influence. We shape the cultures our teams live in every day. We set the tone for how business gets done in our industries. That is not something to take lightly; it is a sacred stewardship. God did not place us in these seats simply to build successful companies, although that is one of our key responsibilities. He placed us here to be light in our specific corner of the world, to demonstrate that we as business leaders are also called to build God's Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, and this can be done with integrity, genuine care, and Kingdom purpose in a way that draws people toward Him.
Three Principles of Godly Influence
Influence Is Built from the Inside Out: The most durable influence a leader can have is never the result of a title, a platform, or a track record alone. It flows from character. From who we are when no one is watching. From the consistency between our private life and our public message. People are remarkably perceptive; they can sense authenticity- whether we truly have a heartfelt conviction and are living our lives in alignment with our stated values. Are we simply talking the talk or are we walking the walk? As reinforced over the past several weeks, there are many dimensions to our influence. Integrity gives us the foundation. Humility gives us the posture. Authenticity gives us the credibility. Hospitality makes people feel genuinely welcomed into our world. Each of these qualities, developed through a daily abiding relationship with Christ, quietly and consistently builds the kind of influence that money cannot buy and titles cannot manufacture. My friend and mentor John Maxwell has said for decades that "leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less". The deepest source of that influence for a follower of Jesus is not strategy or charisma. It is character formed in Christ and lived out consistently in every room we enter. "Above all else guard your heart for everything you do flows from it" (Proverbs 4:23).
Excellence and Generosity Expand Our Influence: Excellence builds influence. When we consistently bring our best, go the second mile, exceed expectations, and do it with genuine warmth and care, we earn something no marketing budget can purchase. Trust. And trust is the currency of influence. Daniel is the clearest biblical example of this in the bible. He worked with such an excellent spirit in a culture that didn't even share his values that the king wanted to give him more authority and responsibility. His excellence was undeniable and elevated his influence. And that platform of influence eventually became the stage for one of the most powerful testimonies of God's faithfulness in all of Scripture. The same principle applies to hospitality, generosity, and authentic relationship. When people feel genuinely seen and valued, they are drawn toward us. And when they are drawn toward us, they become open to what we believe and why we live the way we live. Influence is not a technique. It is the natural overflow of a life fully surrendered to Christ and fully invested in the people around us. "A generous person will prosper. Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:25).
Influence Is for Kingdom Impact: Every bit of influence we have our team, our client relationships, our industry reputation, our community presence, our family legacy is a stewardship entrusted to us by God for a purpose that goes far beyond our own success. Paul describes this beautifully: we are ambassadors for Christ. That is not a role reserved for pastors and missionaries. It is the calling of every follower of Jesus who has been given a platform and a sphere of relationship. We represent the Kingdom in our boardrooms, our client meetings, and our family dinner tables. Every interaction is an opportunity to reflect something of the character of Christ to a person who may never walk into a church. When I think about the leaders in our Abide and Lead community and the collective influence in that room, if every one of us led our companies, loved our families, and engaged our communities with excellence, authenticity, and genuine hospitality, the Kingdom impact would be immeasurable. That is the math of faithful stewardship multiplied by God's supernatural blessing. "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors as though God were making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Influence is not something we pursue for its own sake. It is something we receive as a byproduct of living and leading well and then steward faithfully for the glory of God. The best leaders I know are not trying hardest to be influential. They are trying hardest to be faithful. And faithfulness over time always produces influence that matters.
Challenge Question: Are you being intentional about how you steward the influence God has given you in your business, your team, your family, and your community? Who is one person in your sphere that God is placing on your heart to invest in more deliberately this week?
Prayer: Father, thank You for the platforms, relationships, and opportunities You have entrusted to us. Help us to steward our influence faithfully, not for our own recognition but for Your glory and the advancement of Your Kingdom. May the excellence of our work, the authenticity of our character, and the warmth of our hospitality create openings for Your light to shine through us into every corner of our world. Make us worthy ambassadors of Christ in every room we enter. In Jesus name, Amen.
Influence is something you earn through faithful, excellent, and authentic living over time. Steward it well this week for the glory of God and the good of the people He has placed in your path. Have a great week!