OUR CIRCLE OF IMPACT (by Charles F. Stanley)

Those who live to be salt and light in the world will make ripples of impact on the lives around them.

What do you see as the purpose for your life? Many people would say their purpose is to enjoy living or perhaps to be good to others. Others might feel they have some mission to fulfill. Some people have such difficult circumstances that they see survival as their main goal. Tragically, far too many people live without any real purpose, and what they accomplished has no lasting value whatsoever. Ask the same question of a believer, who understands what the Christian life is all about, and the answer will be, “I’m living to fulfill God’s plan for my life.”
Think about how much God has invested in us. He has bestowed each of His children with specialized abilities and talents so that He can work in and through us to affect others and to deepen our own relationship with Him. He has a plan for every believer; when we discover what it is, we no longer waste time, effort, or finances—we begin to live life with a very clear and specific purpose. The Lord wants us to make a powerful impact on the people around us. In the fifth chapter of Matthew, He gives us the mandate: we are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (verses 13-14).
What are the properties of salt? Not only does it flavor, preserve, and penetrate, but it affects everything it touches. The one thing that can ruin its flavor is the presence of impurities. In a similar way, our “saltiness”—namely, our impact and influence—is diminished by sin, which can cause our life to become tasteless, powerless, and ineffective.
The Word of God also tells us to be light. Referring to Himself, Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world” (John 9:5). But now that He has gone to sit at the Father’s right hand, His Spirit lives inside every believer, and we reflect His light to those in darkness around us. In other words, we are like the moon, which has no light of its own but reflects the sun: by our conversation, conduce, and character, we are the reflection of Christ dwelling within us.
What are the properties of light? It dries out darkness, points the way, warns of incoming dangers, and reveals what is there. Just as sin lessens our “flavor,” it also reduces our light. It is like soot on a lantern globe—the more there is, the less light you can see. Sin does not suit believers because it diminishes our effectiveness and influence. Notice that Jesus did not say, “I suggest that you be salt and light”, He said, “You are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world.” In other words, you are to make an impact; people’s lives are to be changed for good because Jesus Christ is living His life in you and through you.
It is evident from Scripture that Jesus did not intend for us to be salt and light in a sealed container (Matthew 5:15-16). Rather, God designed us to have a circle of impact, similar to the effect of a pebble that is tossed into water—little rings appear and ripple outward, farther and farther until the water is finally calm again. Depending upon the size of the stone, there can be more ripples, extending a much greater distance.
Think about the kind of life Jesus had in mind for us to live. Should we content ourselves with being like grains of sand dropped into water, causing almost no ripples at all? No. We should prefer to be like a large stone or brick that causes significant waves of good in somebody’s life.
How far and wide can a person’s circle of impact reach? Let us look at a few biblical and modern-day examples. First of all, Jesus lived His life very quietly for thirty years. Then, when He began His public ministry, He had a gigantic effect upon human history. He did not cause just a ripple; His impact was like a tidal wave that circled the globe from the moment He came on the scene. And His influence will continue to affect the entire world until He returns and calls to climax all of creation.
Next, consider Saul of Tarsus. Standing in the midst of a crowd, he witnessed a man by the name of Stephen being stoned to death. As he watched, he heard Stephen crying out to Jesus and commending his spirit to Him (Acts 7:59). After some time elapsed, the same Son of God whom Stephen had addressed struck Saul. As he lay on the ground, Saul found himself calling out, saying, “Who are You, Lord?” And he heard the reply, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5). After he was saved by the grace of God, Saul of Tarsus became Paul the apostle. It was as if God dropped a huge boulder into a calm sea. Paul began to travel with his friends throughout the Mediterranean world, establishing a little group here, discipling a gathering there, winning a few souls in this location or that. He sowed the world of his day with little churches that began to grow and influence lives. Two thousand years later, Paul’s epistles, some of which were written in a prison cell, are still impacting us.
Men and women today can likewise have a far-reaching influence. You’re probably wondering, What kind of impact can one person have? You simply do not know the potential of your impact because you are not aware of everyone who is watching your life, listening to you, or hearing about you. Never underestimate your potential—God is the only one who can truly measure it. Jesus told us that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It is not a choice but a mandate to be a strong influence for good in the lives of people who are without Christ. We live in a world full of impurities, so we need to be salt and light, both of which make a difference wherever they are. That is exactly the reason Jesus chose to use these two words.
How do you affect the individuals with whom you come in contact? Does it make any difference at all that you have been present? When you walk away from people, are they left with something special they cannot quite explain? Is there something about your countenance or your handshake, something loving in your eyes that they sense but cannot quite figure out? Or, do you live your life in little concentric circles, like the grain of sand dropped into a lake, which does not make even a decent ripple?
Christians who live to fulfill God’s purpose are not making tiny ripples; they make a meaningful impact on the people around them. Remember that God wants us to be salt and light. Salt—anything it touches changes. Light—wherever you shine it, the darkness flees. Be as salty as possible, as bright as you can be, so that the circle of your impact will carry the force of God’s power. (In Touch, Nov. 2003)