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,"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_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":35167,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/exactly-who-is-influencing-who\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":0},"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":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":38147,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/because-of-the-sins-of-jeroboam\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":2},"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":[]},{"id":86646,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/culture-wars-and-spiritual-battles\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":3},"title":"Culture Wars and Spiritual Battles","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer It is possible to win the culture war, as it is called, and lose the spiritual battle. They are not the same. Culturally, Christians want to stand up for the right and oppose the wrong. We want to keep evil influences from being so pervasive, so we\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":29167,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jamaica-patois-wisdom-influence\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":4},"title":"Jamaica Patois Wisdom – Influence","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/scratchingDog-300x218.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":50982,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-sin-start-in-the-heart-or-can-we-blame-the-influence-of-others\/","url_meta":{"origin":87206,"position":5},"title":"Does sin start in the heart or can we blame the influence of others?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 18, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Based on Matthew 15:19 and James 1:13-15, does all sin begin in the hearts and minds of people? When thinking about a possible transgression, should we put our desires and motives under consideration? Should we blame any outside influence or are our sinful hearts the greater concern when it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_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}]}}