The Power of Influence

So, my Facebook has been buzzing about the VMA performances last week, specifically about one performer, Miley Cyrus. Now, I never actually saw a recording of that awful event (not do I want to), but I've read enough about it in the World Wide Web to realize that Miley's innocent days of Hannah Montana have been violently pulverized into non-existence. People seriously haven't stopped talking about her raunchy performance, so I began to think about it a little bit too.

I came to realize something very important that we can learn from Miley: the power of influence. Even though none of us may realize it, we have huge influence. Even though we don't sell hits on iTunes or appear on national television, we have direct influence on the people all around us. 

I actually learned this fact last year. While I was at school one day, I saw one of the new 7th graders sitting by herself in study hall. Now, before I continue, you have to understand the layout of my school. It is set up with 7th grade being the beginning of middle school. When you move from 6th grade to 7th grade at my school, you go to a completely different floor in the building where you are grouped with everyone from 7th grade to 12th grade. So essentially, the leap into middle school makes you feel like a tiny minnow in a sea of whales (my random analogy). I remembered experiencing this drastic leap, so when I saw this 7th grader, I decided to go and talk to her for a while. She was a nice kid, and we talked for about fifteen minutes until I had to leave. I didn't think anything of this conversation until about a day later when my mom told me that this 7th grader's mom had talked to her. The 7th grader's mom said that her daughter was SO excited that I had come to talk to her. She even came home that day using my full name and saying, "she actually talked to me!" 

I was so shocked. Just the fact that me, a normal junior in high school, had stopped to talk to the 7th grader made a huge difference to her. It made me realize that every little thing I do and every choice I make is being watched by someone and could even be mimicked by someone who looks up to me. Pretty scary, isn't it? 

The Bible backs up this point very clearly too. I'm sure you know this verse very well, but read it again anyway, thinking about it in the context I just discussed:

"Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."

1Timothy 4:12

It's all about influence. 

And if you want to see the example of a bad influence, you can always look back to our friend Miley. In the end, the key to having a good influence is to have a good reputation. See, I realized something. Despite all of the good values and concepts Miley communicated through her Hannah Montana days, I'll bet that in years to come, the only thing people will remember about her is the negative: this MTV performance and the awful things to follow.

It reminds me of a saying that a fabulous teacher and role model of mine said once,

"It takes years to build a good reputation. It only takes a moment to make a bad one."

Think about that for a second. Your influence and reputation can be changed that quickly. In just a moment- the snap of a camera, a step outside your room after choosing what to wear, the click of a button on the Internet, a single word out of your mouth, and your entire reputation can be ruined and your influence changed from good to bad.

What will you do with your power of influence: use it for good or for bad?