“Deception has become so commonplace that few of My people even anguish over it anymore. The line of holiness has been moved by those who do not pursue holiness. Standards that I have not set have become the guidelines for behavior, even in My church. No one grieves over sin. My people care little about those who have no idea of My perfect will for their lives.

       "So many have been allowed to go their own way because My people fail to show them Jesus through the way that they live in their midst. When there is no visible evidence of real truth, the foolish make up their own truth from deceiving influences. How sad it makes Me to see My creation become blinded, lame, and stumbling in folly.”

Hebrews 12:12-13 TLB

12) So take a new grip with your tired hands, stand firm on your shaky legs,

13) and mark out a straight, smooth path for your feet so that those who follow you, though weak and lame, will not fall and hurt themselves, but become strong.

When I was a kid, one of the other kids in my neighborhood took great joy in getting everyone else in trouble. He was about two years older than the rest of us, so naturally we all followed him wherever he decided to take us. The tone of our lives was directly affected by what he did, how he felt, and whether or not you were his friend at any given time. I remember that it was very important to be his friend. If you were, somehow, you were more important than the others. The problem was, he accepted and discarded “friends” on a whim, accepting another into his fold. Each of us took turns in his favor. This caused continual disharmony. No one was able to have peace, as we were all pitted against one another many times at his bidding. He would then sit back and enjoy the strife that he had caused. (I hate to say this, but he became a lawyer when he grew up.)

I remember one day, for some reason, we all woke up. Somehow, within about a week, we all realized that he was really a friend to none of us. His actions were exposed, and we all quit playing his game. Soon afterwards, he found people outside of our neighborhood to influence. He was old enough by then to leave our little circle, so he went on to others, no doubt following the same pattern with them. When he left, peace prevailed.

The above Father’s Heart and the Bible verses remind my heart of the importance of influence. We, as Christians, have been given the joy of truth. We have also been given the authority to lead anyone who will come to the saving grace of Jesus. Our mission is clear, and our influence is important to the world.

The problem is that we are not really leading, and few are following us. Because we have ourselves rejected the passions and desires of our Lord, few can see the wonder of His love and come with us. Our direction is unclear and without authority. People are gladly following someone who does have a clear direction and a passion for what they do, even if it is wrong.

So here we are. God has called us to be the strong influence in the world. We are called to make straight paths for people to follow, protecting them from harm as they go about their lives. Instead, most of them follow any big kid in the neighborhood who will take great joy in leading them to a path of strife and bondage. How pitiful! One day everyone will wake up to a truthful account of their lives, but more than likely it will be too late.

Needing to follow closer to Jesus, so that I can lead others to truth,

Jim Corbett