There is a lot of influencing going on in the world today.
Government leaders work overtime to influence the thought of their citizens. Social media is rife with influencers hired to sway public opinion about products and causes.
Some types of influence are blatant, in your face, and other forms are sneaky and hidden from obvious view.
It can be instructive to ask, “What is influencing my thought? Am I thinking for myself, or am I under the influence of someone else who may not have my best interests in mind?”
The best influence always comes from God. God is good, God is Truth, and whatever direction the Mind of Truth takes you, will be progressive and healthy.
If someone else’s personal sense, selfish want, questionable desire, or ulterior motives are influencing your thoughts and actions, the outcome may be poor, or regrettable.
When God is doing the influencing, the effect will always be good.
So, do yourself a favor today. Let the Mind of God be the only influence over your thoughts and actions.
When God is the one Influencer behind your decision-making, you’ll be happy with the results.
God is a good influence that always takes you in a good direction.
Thank you for writing about this Evan . This idea has been on my mind a lot lately too. It seems SO counter-intuitive and cringeworthy for someone to publicly feel proud of calling themselves “an influencer” …as if this is a noteworthy occupation or path in life! To me this is a sign of someone who feels THEY must control others or be an oracle of some sort (but always in the most superficial ways)! In 1 Corinthians: 12 we read about the many “gifts” that are given to people by God…
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; etc…..But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. “I’ve been thinking how THESE are the best ways to BE influenced so by reflecting these God-given gifts, we can then “influence” (ie help, heal, guide) others. But this influence word does seem to have the connotation of controlling others… not the best thing to aim for I guess!
What a great Bible passage to clarify the right influence (God and his imparted talents/abilities/stellar qualities.) Thank you Diane!
I greatly appreciate reader comments and Evan’s wonderful sorting of the tares and wheat and ever present love of God.
Amen, Diane W The references you’ve selected are most helpful. Thank you.
Thank you, Evan, from Portugal!
Infinite Good is the only Influencer and good is the only result. The Italian word for “influence” or the in-flowing of streams of intangible fluid from the stars, is “influenza” shortened as “flu”, named for a variety of symptoms from a bad “in-flowing” or bad influence entering one. We are not a chimney flue through which flows hot air or pollution. We are not the structure for a bad influence flowing through. We do not have to “go with the flow” or seek its “affluence.” It is not from infinite Good, and so has no Cause or Creator or creativity or Creation, or result, and so no authority or excuse or consequence. The same is true for any other false influence. Focus on only Love’s will and law, process and produce/product/effect.
Thank you Evan. For one to be influenced in anyway and by whoever is a great aspect in our study of Christian Science. This is the reason why it is part of our church bylaw, read in all churches every first Sunday of the month. We must watch what is influencing one and be able to think rightly and act rightly.
Thank you Evan.
Thanks Evan! So important to Pause,– examine our thoughts, before we get influenced in a wrong direction.
Thank you Ajayl Grace for your comment on A Rule for Motives and Acts which we hear every Sunday , and can read often in the Manual with DailyDuties, pages 40-42.
Such wise advice from our Leader Mary Baker Eddy!
Well, I always thought that in the manual rule we read “… influencing or being influenced “erroneously”. So, we shall not be influenced by erring mortal mind; however we shall be influenced by divine Mind, which is the one unerring omnipotent and loving Mind, which we express naturally as God`s wonderful children!
Thank you Joy and Grace for mentioning the Rules for Motives and Acts from our church manual!
Thank you very much Evan to let us ponder this toppic a bit more !
Love it…thanks Evan and all
The rule for motive and acts seems to apply here. “The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously.
Manual of The Mother Church, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 40:2–15
The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously. Manual of The Mother Church, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 40:2–15
A group of sheep was in the news recently who kept circling round
and round. Today’s blog prompted me to think … is that how we wish
to be – like mindless sheep, plodding along in the footsteps of others,
not getting anywhere spiritually, or … are we Thinkers of Truth –
“Shepherd, Show [Me] how to go”, choosing the pathway of thinking
for a Good, a Better world where Love is our guide and influencer,
where we don’t follow the group, in stagnation, but move forward
in the direction as Evans states, “the Mind of Truth” takes us.
In a world of sin and sensuality hastening to a greater development of power, it is wise earnestly to consider whether it is the human mind or the divine Mind which is influencing one.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 82:31–2)
These comments are all right on! Thanks everyone.
Thank you Evan! So many people are trying to influence us these days but we need to focus on the Truth . I really like the statement , “let the Mind go God be the only influence over your thoughts and actions. We must stick to the TRUTH.
What a precious influence Spirit View is for us all . Bringing us back to the One Cause and Effect.
Mrs Eddy says in Prose Works…’ know then that. you possess sovereign power to act and think rightly
And that nothing can dispossess you of this heritage and trespass on Love‘ ( sorry, I didnt make note of the page.)
I’m most grateful to Evan and everyone❣️
our Master said: “Destroy this temple, and in three days
6 I will raise it up.” He also said: “The kingdom of God
is within you.” Know, then, that you possess sovereign
power to think and act rightly, and that nothing can dis-
9 possess you of this heritage and trespass on Love. If you
maintain this position, who or what can cause you to sin
or suffer? Our surety is in our confidence that we are
12 indeed dwellers in Truth and Love, man’s eternal mansion. from “Pulpit and Press, Dedicatory Sermon”
Thanks Barbara, it was good to be reminded of our heritage (what we have inherited as God’s children) of sovereign power to think and act rightly. I like the word ‘dispossess’ in that quote. It means to deprive of power, rights or possessions; to cast out or evict. So in the quote Mrs. Eddy makes it clear that Nothing and No one can strip us of our right and power to have and be influenced only by the one Mind, the Mind of God.
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
(Isaiah 30:21)
————————-
The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus’ time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation. Now, as then, these mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural. They are the sign of Immanuel, or “God with us,” — a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime,
To preach deliverance to the captives [of sense],
And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty them that are bruised.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. xi:9)
Thank you Evan for all the spiritual food you give us on a daily basis. We start our day with the Daily thought and then we listen to the Daily lift and then we read Spiritview.
This gives us our start to read the lesson sermon and a good start to our day.
Many thanks for all that you inspire us with.
Wow, again right on the mark for me.
In my case just when I feel like throwing my boot through the television, I had to realize that God’s government being the only thing in control, applies not only to me, but to the so-called “influencers” as well!
What I am seeing – if it is anything unlike God’s perfection – are spurious mortal image suggestions to the contrary. Leading me to think of the influencers as “just a little bit evil”, but when seen in their true light, they are anything but!
That’s a subtlety for sure, but for me personally, if I don’t catch the subtleties, it feels like a lesson half done.
It is good to know that God is the only influence we have, God good is the influence in us, not mortal beliefs but the spiritual influence only.
Thanks Evan.
Thanks Evan f0r’sharing us thjs article,,it reminds me what am I thinking ,where am I? with matter or Spirit? Then inspiration comes..