I’ve been thinking a lot about a message delivered by Pastor Henrico D. White, Weeping Willow AME Zion Church a few years ago.  The meat of the message was powerful; yet I realized that when I heard it, I was listening from the perspective of the three groups identified within the message.  He said, “There are 3 types of people in your life: Those Who Want To BLESS You, Those Who Want To BLOCK You, and Those Who Want To BE You!“  At that point in my life, I was actively ‘dealing’ with all three groups, and my focus what staunchly upon them.

It wasn’t until today’s reflection that I realized that there’s an important revelation about myself encased in this great truth!  Although these are three very distinct groups that are defined by three vastly different outcomes, they all have the same motivation driving their behaviors: Our Ability To Influence And To Impact.  Yes, people want to BLESS us because we have made an impact on their lives and they are influenced enough to be a blessing to us.  Yes, people want to BLOCK us because we have made an impact that grants us greater influence and they desperately want to negate our voice to nullify our impact.  And, Yes, people want to BE us because they admire our ability to impact and to influence and they want to do the same.

Three groups of people, presenting three totally different outcomes, are all moved because of how they see us impacting and influencing others.  Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9:4)  Sometimes when we are experiencing the ‘outcomes’ that aren’t favorable, comfortable or even acceptable, it’s easy to lose focus of ‘working the work of Him that sent me’ as we navigate through the corridors of our hurt feelings; as we undergo the rehabilitation of our bruised egos; as we anticipate the healing of our tarnished reputations.  But these three groups serve a unified purpose:  They confirm that people are watching us and with their watching, our witness is being established.  It must be our choice to continue to demonstrate God’s character to each of these groups.  We must consistently apply our gifts under God’s anointing as we work His work so we can continue to impact and influence, continually drawing others closer to Him.