What is Your Influence?
By Wm. S. Foote
“He that is not with me, is against me, and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad.” If we have our hearts so filled with the love of God as to induce us to keep all his commandments, we then are gathering with Christ. Among his commandments we find, “Do good unto all, especially unto those who are of the household of faith.” If we cannot preach the gospel, we can through grace pursue such a course as will encourage those who do, to labor on. If we feel when among our brethren, that we are so weak intellectually that we can say or do but little to benefit them, remember that God requires of us the doing of that little. We cannot employ talents in the service of God which we do not possess; but if we have but one, let us be careful lest we hide it in the earth. There is one thing that we can do: through the grace of our heavenly Father we can become holy in heart, life, and conversation, and others seeing our good works may be led to glorify God. We may thus exert an influence over surrounding minds, which will not end in time, but will be seen by us, and felt by others, who, through the blessing of God on our weak efforts, will be crowned with a glorious immortality. “Work while the day lasts.” “If you cannot on the ocean
Sail among the swiftest fleet;
Rocking on the highest billows,
Laughing at the storms you meet;
You can stand among the sailors,
Anchored yet within the bay,
You can lend a hand to help them,
As they launch their boats away. “If you are too weak to journey
Up the mountains steep and high,
You can stand within the valley,
While the multitudes go by;
You can chant in happy measure,
As they slowly pass along;
Though they may forget the singer,
They will not forget the song. “Do not then stand idly waiting,
For some greater work to do;
You may make some glorious progress
In the work assigned to you;
Go and toil hard in the vineyard,
Do not fear to do or care;
If you want a field of labor,
You can find it ANYWHERE.”