The Power of Influence

Mother’s Day is behind us, but I can’t shake a certain, powerful thought from my mind.

It centers around the power of influence.  God designed the home to be the premiere laboratory for the Christian faith.  Nothing outranks the home in the training and nurturing of children, not even the local church. In the home, the man (husband) is the head; the woman (wife) is the influencer.  Someone suggested that “while the man is the head of the home, the wife is the neck that turns the head!”  Two women were sitting in church listening to this teaching, when one leaned over and asked the other, “What did he just say?”  She replied, “I’m not completely sure, but I think the pastor just said we were necks!” 

Influence is defined as “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development or behavior of someone.”  God, in His infinite wisdom, gave this gift primarily to the mother (wife).  She is the one who sets the atmosphere in the home.  The old saying is true:  “If mom’s not happy, nobody’s happy!”  This is a fact!

The Bible contains stories about a number of mothers; however, none prove the reality of “the influencer” more than Jochebed, the mother of Moses.  Her story is found in Exodus 2:1-10.  During this time, Pharaoh issued an edict that all Hebrew newborns be cast into the Nile River, as he feared the growing Hebrew population was gaining too much prominence and power.  To protect her newborn son, Jochebed placed him in a basket and hid it in the reeds along the great river.  Through a divine strategy, Pharaoh’s daughter came upon the drifting child and took him into the palace.  Later, in a strange turn of events that only God could orchestrate, Jochebed was hired to nanny the boy.  Jochebed raised her own son in Pharaoh’s court!

During the subsequent years, Jochebed trained her son -- the son of Pharaoh’s daughter -- not only academically, but in the ways of Israel’s God.  Jochebed’s name literally means, “The glory of YAHWEH.”  The word “glory” is the Hebrew root word for “influence.”

Under Jochebed’s tutelage and godly influence, Moses was groomed to be Israel’s deliverer.  God used the dynamics inside Jochebed to raise up Moses, who in 1446 B.C. led the Children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.  How wonderful!  Indirectly, the power of her influence won the day!

Jochebed was also the mother of Aaron and Miriam; and her influence guided their lives as well.  Aaron became Israel’s High Priest and Miriam became a prophetess.  She would later pick up a tambourine after Israel’s great deliverance on the opposite bank of the Red Sea and lead a band of women to praise the God of Israel.  He’s our God, too!

Sadly, Jochebed died before seeing the results of her godly influence play out in the lives of her three famous children.  However, she is indirectly mentioned in “The Hall of Faith,” published in Hebrews 11:23 -- “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden by his parents (Levi and Jochebed) because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”

Thank God for the power of godly influence. It was Nancy Todd Lincoln influencing a future President.  It was Suzanna Wesley influencing two renowned sons -- Charles, a hymn writer; and John, a revivalist (founder of the Methodist Church).   

Moms, we honor you and we are especially grateful for you godly moms, who used and continue to use your influence to raise up effective and powerful Christ followers.   

The $23 Miracle

Raising seven children in the 1960’s I’m sure was no easy task.  My parents were hard workers and wonderful providers.  Not only did they both work full-time jobs, after they got home they either worked in the garden or dad took on outside carpentry jobs. 

Dad planted unusually large gardens, and in September mom canned vegetables in our large kitchen.  Their labors provided us with vegetables during cold weather and course helped reduce groceries bills. 

On many occasions mom canned well into the early morning hours.  I remember drifting off to sleep listening to the sounds of lids popping!  My siblings and I would later line our basement shelves with green beans, corn, tomatoes, okra, beets, potatoes, and other yummy winter delights. 

In late summer dad would load his pick-up truck with garden produce and head for the Farmer’s Market in Youngstown.  Proceeds from these trips went toward buying school clothes and supplies.  Dad also raised a hog or two or a cow to slaughter in the fall.  By the end of October we were ready for winter in the “snow belt.”  I realize I sound like Laura Ingalls Wilder’s 21^st century counterpart, but it’s true!     

You can imagine that money was tight in our home, and I tried not to place additional financial burdens on my parents, except for one day in July 1970.  My pastor’s wife had approached me with the idea of going to youth camp in Big Prairie, Ohio.  She sensed that God was working in my heart and encouraged me to do everything I could to attend. 

Because I had no way of earning money, this meant asking my dad for the necessary registration and camp fee.  Timidity almost overwhelmed me, but something (Someone!) strongly stirred me to approach dad for the money.  It’s not that I was afraid of him, but I knew that money for “extras” was in short supply.  Besides, I had to consider my brothers and sisters.  Understand, $23.00 represented quite a sacrifice in a family of nine. 

In retrospect, I realize the Holy Spirit honored my hungry, searching heart and gave me the fortitude to ask my dad for the necessary amount.  Mom and dad were sitting at the kitchen table, relaxing after a hard day’s work.  I approached them with my voice quivering and said, “Dad, I’d love to go to camp in a few weeks. Could I have $23.00?”  I believe the Holy Spirit touched his heart at that precise moment and without hesitation dad said, “Yeah, I don’t see why not.”  Subsequently, he placed his hand on my head as if to say, “It’s alright!”  That quick touch said, “We love you.”  Mom immediately wrote the check.

Since that day I have referred to this incident as my “Twenty-three dollar miracle.”  First, I knew my parents sacrificed greatly to send me to camp.  Second, on August 4, 1970 I responded to an invitation to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and simultaneously was called to preach!  Dad’s $23.00 investment yielded a minister of the Gospel!

To this day, as finances allow, I love helping young people go to camp.  I wish to payback what God so miraculously made possible in my life.