In Jesus' Name

I've been reading through the Psalms am blown away by them. I am struck by the different characteristics of God. David doesn't always seem to stress who we are in God, but WHO GOD IS. And what He does. He knows the way of the righteous (1:6), He is a shield (3:3), a sustainer (3:5), hears us when we call (4:3), safety (4:8), a refuge (5:11), deliverer (6:4), a stronghold (9:9). My favorite (so far) is Psalm 8, which says, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your NAME in all the earth!"

I'm simultaneously reading through Acts and it is this NAME that Peter speaks so much about. When he and John are taken in front of the rulers and elders and questioned about who Jesus is, Peter says, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other NAME under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (4:12). He heals a lame man in chapter 3 and says "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the NAME of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (3:6).

In Jesus' name.

I spent a lot of time in college building my own name up. I found a lot of power in my name. I took Jesus' name out of the place where it should have been glorified. I ran my life and would stop just long enough to remind people that I was awesome and in control.

I'm struggling a lot with influence. What kind of influence am I? I know I have been a poor influence in my past. I've made poor, awful choices that I'm not proud of. I put those at the center of my being and think "no one should ever look up to me." I hear an encouraging word, someone comes to me with a question, I'm in a situation to share Jesus with someone, and I want to scream at the top of my lungs PEOPLE DON'T YOU KNOW I'M A MESS.

A friend told me recently that everyone is an influence. Everyone. We all influence the people around us. With every action, every word, we must choose to acknowledge that truth. And the question then becomes

Who are we influencing people to become?

Whose name are we influencing people to be?

Whose NAME are we glorifying?

Which should lead us to humility. Not to pride, not to despair, but to humility. We realize that we are broken sinners in lead of a Savior and that we are called to lead others to Him too. We remember what was done for us: where we came from, who was in our corner leading us there, the truth we were told: and we point others there too.

So I think back to that person that I was and remember that she's not there anymore. I remember that in Christ I'm a new creation. I remember (oh so thankfully) that it's not my name I point people to. I'm not a savior, a stronghold, a deliverer, or a redeemer.. but I can show you Someone who is. Through my failures and falls and despair and recognition of grace, I worship a God who redeems the brokenness. I know I don't always do it right (hardly), but Christ who lives in me always does.

We influence others for Christ because He died on the cross for our sin and shame.