The Power of Influence--Actions Speak Louder than Words!

The power of influence...a mighty force that we have every day but so often fail to use! We can influence people forever by simply taking the time to invest in their lives whether it be through a kind word, a thoughtful act, or a note or email sent at just the right time.

When we think of those who have greatly influenced our lives, we often look at the great scope of what they did while failing to remember that usually it was just an accumulation of little things-- times that they expressed interest in our lives or passed on a form of affirmation or encouragement.

Two great people in my life have recently passed on and their influence has been brought sharply back into focus--G.R. French and Dr. Connie Palm. Dr. Palm was one of the greatest teachers that I ever had, but while her teaching continues to follow me, and I very frequently put into practice the things that she taught me, what has continued to impact my life even more were the words and actions that I remember to this day almost 25 years later. I remember the times that she stepped outside of her educational role as a teacher and took an interest in my personal life, the struggles I was facing, and encouraging me to become all that God wanted me to be.

G.R. French on the other hand, I also remember for those great principles and life lessons that he taught us. When it comes to seeing the needs of the world around us, I know of few people who taught me more of a passion for reaching people than he did simply by his passion for people that was contagious.

However, even though these things that he passed on were a major influence in my life, what influenced me even more was the time that he took to spend with us and invest in our personal lives. He was one of the busiest people that I knew at the time, yet he took weeks to invite us into his office and talk with us, counsel us, and laugh and pray with us. Sometimes in his busy schedule we were invited to his home or to be involved in some project that he was working on. It was like as he went through life, he just naturally included those around him without even having to think about it. How many times after church was dismissed did I see him get up from his seat, begin walking around and eventually head our way and just simply ask, “How are things going?” His life showed a genuine interest in others, and because we knew this great man was genuinely interested in us, he influenced us to follow the life he was living.

Perhaps we often try to influence those around us through words and coerce them into following us when simple actions would attract far better. Not only that but perhaps remembering that people remember actions better than words and remember life lessons taught through deeds of example rather than sermons of thoughts. I remember two examples from G.R. French’s life that taught me far more by seeing him teach rather than hearing him teach.

Very often when he would be walking across campus, he would bend over and pick up some piece of litter and later dispose of it. While he walked to one of the highest offices around, he would simply live a life of humility all the way there. Another example that he taught me was how to express genuine interest in other people. So often we are interested in the lives of others, but we fail to demonstrate it because we do not know how. Rather than simply ending a conversation after a simple exchange of pleasantries and how are you doing?, he would ask a few questions. We always knew that he was busy and wasn’t likely to stay around long, but he always managed to ask a few questions that demonstrated that he was keeping up with our lives. “How are your parents doing?” “What’s new in your job or ministry now?” I remember once after we had moved away from Hobe Sound, we came back to visit and got rooms in one of the building that had long since needed to be remodeled. We had been there several days when he saw us on the campus. In his typical way, he asked a few questions about our lives, and then asked where we were staying. When we told him, he immediately said, “O, you can’t stay there! That place needs fixed up better before you should stay there.” He immediately insisted that we move all our things and children to his home for the remainder of our time there. He would not accept no for an answer, and before we knew it, we were on our way to his home for the remainder of our time there.

The power of influence...so often we think it is in sermons or lectures or lessons that we have to teach when all the while it is often in simple everyday gestures and actions that simply express an interest in the lives of others around us. It would do each one of us a lot of good to remember that people become like those they admire rather than those who simply attempt to change through speaking, and live lives that reflect that principle. Actions do speak louder than words.