Clout is simply a fancy word that sums up a person’s influence. Many people enjoy it as a way to gain, build up, and maintain their self-esteem. And while this is important, I don’t believe building one’s self esteem is the best way to use one’s influence (of course, this is my opinion). I want to encourage you to do something you’ve been wanting to do for years: change a life or two by leveraging your clout on their behalf.
When you are blessed with the ability to influence others, I believe it is a clue to (or direct link to) what your actual purpose in life is. And one irrefutable fact about purpose is that it is results-driven. That means YOUR TALENTS should be in operation. They should be put to use. Otherwise, they lose value at alarming rates until they (your talents) become all but worthless. Please DO NOT allow that to happen!
Clout can take a person many places. But just because you CAN gain access to a thing doesn’t mean you SHOULD (see Romans 14:21 and 1 Corinthians 8:13 for reference). You already know how to make friends and you know how to influence people because you do it every day. So use your influence to provide opportunities for those who would not receive them any other way.
Without your help, I believe many people would miss out on how great your influence in their lives can be. So today, allow your ‘clout’ to be in FULL operation. Not just as a way for you to feel better about yourself (although you SHOULD feel very proud of who you are and of all your accomplishments), but also as a way to help others feel better about themselves. Remember…
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”(Matthew 5:13 ESV)
Be well my friends!
Author, speaker, musician DEREK E. EURALES, Jr., loves to share his faith, motivation, and music. His book, Principles of Christian Living, has become a “must read” for believers of all ages. To order your copy, click here.