by David Gibson<\/p>\n
The cough and cold medicines on our closet shelf were stored in a box originally containing chocolate-covered peanuts. On the box was printed this warning: “Do not store near heat, soaps, perfumes, disinfectants, oil products, or other articles with strong odors.” Imagine eating candy with the scent of ammonia or Stetson cologne!<\/p>\n
Isn’t that why we don’t put a cut onion in the frig, uncovered? Onions are, shall we say, influential?<\/p>\n
How easy it is for us to soak up our surroundings! It can happen subtly and unconsciously; before we know it, we think, talk, and act like the world (James 4:4; I John 2:15-17).<\/p>\n
“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals’<\/em>” (I Corinthians 15:33 NASB; see I Kings 11:1-11; Ezra 9; Nehemiah 13:23-26).<\/p>\n God calls us to impact society, not the other way around (Matthew 5:13-16; Philippians 2:15). We must<\/strong>\u00a0maintain our distinctiveness if we intend to come out smelling like a rose.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by David Gibson The Peril of Proximity The cough and cold medicines on our closet shelf were stored in a box originally containing chocolate-covered peanuts. On the box was printed this warning: “Do not store near heat, soaps, perfumes, disinfectants, oil products, or other articles with strong odors.” Imagine eating candy with the scent of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[353],"class_list":["post-87206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-influence"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61531,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/notes-on-influence\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":0},"title":"Notes on Influence","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 25, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Genesis 5:3 - The influence of a father on his son Exodus 23:2 - Following a crowd is not an excuse for evil behavior Deuteronomy 12:29-32 - Do not let culture influence your religious beliefs Deuteronomy 18:9-12 - Do not let culture influence your religious beliefs I Kings 11:1-8 -\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Notes","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":90495,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/be-careful-who-you-allow-to-influence-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":1},"title":"Be Careful Who You Allow to Influence You","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Hugh DeLong When Paul wrote to the brethren in Corinth about the resurrection, he told them it was a matter \"of first importance\" (I Corinthians 15:3). Without the resurrection, their faith was \"worthless\" (I Corinthians 15:17) and they were \"most to be pitied\" (I Corinthians 15:19). However, some were\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":35167,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/exactly-who-is-influencing-who\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":2},"title":"Exactly Who is Influencing Who?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Chronicles 13:4-12 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Most Americans tend to have an independent streak. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We would like to think that we think for ourselves. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As Christians, we aim to influence those around to do good. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But influence is not a one-way street. II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Our thoughts are shaped by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":44285,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-to-ruin-our-influence\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":3},"title":"How to Ruin Our Influence","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Warfel","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62781,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/influence-and-evangelism\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":4},"title":"Influence and Evangelism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 17, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Taylor Ladd April 17-20, 2011 God's Captivated Captives Learning to See Souls The Purpose of Our Calling Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind Tactics for Defending Our Faith","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/teachingMoments-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":38147,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/because-of-the-sins-of-jeroboam\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":5},"title":"Because of the Sins of Jeroboam","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 5:13-16 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Few credit the influence we have on the lives of those around us. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The things we do and say impact the lives of those we come in contact. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes our influence spreads to people we may not have seen. II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The example of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87206"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87206\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}