THE POWR OF INFLUENCE

 

                Today I am going to spend a little time talking about the power of influence

and to illustrate my point I am going to bring the family history of two families.  There has been a careful search into the history of one criminal family known as the Jukes.  It is a record of pauperism, insanity, violence, prostitution, substance abuse, and drunkenness. 

                A total of 1200 descendants have been traced of this prolific family tree.  Some

400 of these physically self wrecked, 310 were professional beggars and con men,

130 were convicted criminals, 60 habitual thieves and pick pockets, 7 were convicted

of murder.  Out of the 1200 only 20 were ever able to learn a trade and of these half

owed it to prison discipline.

               The other is about a man named Jonathan Edwards.  He was the son of a godly

home.  His father was a preacher and before him his mother's father.  The history of this

man is as follows. 

               More than 400 of them have been traced and they include 14 college presidents,

and 100 professors, 100 of them have been ministers of the gospel, missionaries and

theological teachers.  More than 100 of them have been lawyers and judges.  Out of the

whole number 60 have been doctors.  Others have been numbered in the ranks of

authors, politicians, editors and captains of industry.

               In fact almost every major American industry has had as its promoters one or

more of the offspring of the Edward's stock since this man was married in the closing

half of the seventeenth century.

               Now my question is what kind of legacy do you want to leave.  The choice is

yours.  Joshua stated in Joshua 24:15, "As for me and my house we will serve the

Lord."  I think the choice is clear.  I recently had a conversation with a man who was faced with a life threatening illness.  After years of focusing on himself and his world His life has changed.  He has realized that life is about touching others.  When I left his home I was encouraged even though my aim when visiting him was to encourage him. 

Legacy and influence is not just about just touching our current generation but those who will follow.  The best remedy for an ungodly society is to raise godly children.  Parents today have greater challenges than ever before.  The invention of the internet has made the world very small, and our children have access to more harmful and damaging material than ever before.  To combat this, parents need to include the Lord in their family.  He is the glue that holds a family together, His guidance will keep a family from being shipwrecked on the rocks when the storms of life come.  I have shown you what happens between a godly home and an ungodly home my question is which do you want?  I want a godly home.  How about you?