Every time we show kindness to another person, we are impacting that life for good and the lives of others that follow that person. Every time we get angry with another, our anger affects the people around us and that are affected by the person we get angry with. We can’t help but impact lives directly, and indirectly through our actions and words.
Genesis 46:3-4 says, “Then he said, ‘I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again.” God is speaking to Jacob, also called Israel. Jacob had stopped and offered sacrifices to God to ensure that God wanted him to go to Egypt. God told Jacob to go and gave him promises.
One of those promises was that God would make a great nation from Jacob. Jacob was saving his family from famine by obeying and going to Egypt. The family consisted of 70 people at the time, but by the time they left Egypt they numbered about 2.5 million. So God did make a great nation out of Jacob.
We impact thousands of lives during our lifetime. Our impact can be for good, like through simple kindness. Or our impact can be for darkness, like anger. In either case, our impact is not just upon our family, friends, and casual acquaintances. Our impact multiplies through our contacts with people to their contacts with people, and so on through many generations. You may think that I am exaggerating, but think of the person who is demeaned at work. They come home and shout at the kids or spouse, who then take it out on someone else. Let’s make sure our impact is for good and not for darkness.
If we are followers of Jesus Christ, this impact can be for God. Every time we pray for someone, or share our faith, or simply do a good work, we are impacting souls for many generations. Let’s go to heaven with a great nation of people impacted by our godly lives. Don’t be afraid! Just like with Jacob, God also promises to go with us.
Reluctant Retiree 