OUTDOOR TRUTHS: Influence

By Gary Miller

Deer season is here. A few states have already opened, and the others are just around the corner. I am not prepared for this. I mean really, I am not prepared. I have put off hanging stands and setting up blinds. And I only have a few cameras out. The good news is that over the years my hunting habits have changed. I usually wait until late October before I get serious about getting into the woods. Of course, a beast on camera will change that every time. But without that, I am satisfied to wait until cooler temperatures and greater odds of seeing a big buck. I will, however, get those cameras out, and stands up, this week. Hunting the same property for years cuts the preparation time down significantly. And just knowing more than I did several years ago helps me narrow down the details I need to get everything set up just the right way. I say all of this to say, I’m not panicking. I will lean on what I’ve learned from the skilled hunters who influenced me in the past. I think about those individuals a lot. Not only the individuals who influenced me in the hunting world, but those who influenced me in other areas of my life as well. Not all influence was good, but even that guides me to be and do things differently.

Influence is something we carry with us wherever we go. Like purpose, influence is always our passenger. For a follower of Christ, it is not just something we acknowledge, it is something we are responsible for. Jesus said we are to be salt and light to the world around us. Concerning light, He said this. “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Paul and Peter also used the analogy of being a light. The point is this. While every person’s influence is automatic, for the Christian ours is to be intentional. If not understand correctly, this can be a heavy burden because the Christian is no less flawed than the non-Christian. However, the point is not to claim goodness as we do our good works, but to point to the One who gives us the reason to attempt them. We are not called to convince people we are good. We are called to live in such a way that even through our imperfections, people can see something of the goodness of God. Christian influence is not pretending we have it all together. It is allowing the way we live, fail, repent, love, forgive, and keep following Jesus, to point people beyond us to the One who influences us. 

Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 24 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Stay updated on Outdoor Truths each week by subscribing at Outdoortruths.org. Miller can be reached via email at outdoortruths@gmail.com.