Like lilies of the field...

“The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and “the lilies of the field”— simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us. If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live— yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him.” Oswald Chambers

I'm so inspired by this quote from Oswald Chambers. Every day of my life leads me more and more to the conclusion that I am merely a miniscule part of the beauty which is Christ. One star in the sky is not impressive, nor is one lily in a field. What’s impressive is a sky full of stars, and a field full of lilies. It’s these visions that are impressive because they more closely represent God’s greatness.

How I see it is that we are simply here to shine, to bloom, to become part of an image greater than we can ever imagine. The only way to accomplish this is to exert ourselves to death for the grace of others (Philippians 2:1-11). We often think of influence in small personal terms: “How can I influence other people? How do they influence me?” I think the most powerful and profound influence is community (or culture): “How can we influence neighborhoods? Cities? Society? The world?” Afterall, sustained influence is lived out in the context of authentic community.