Influence

Who has been the most influential person of the last 2000 years? If we applied the criteria that follow, who would likely come out on top?

• multitudes of followers for all of the last 2000 years
• more than thousands of books written about him/her
• people willing to suffer and even die for that person, though they likely never met him/her in person
• has radically changed millions of people’s lives, including rescue from dissolute and criminal lives
• well known around the world
• has left a legacy on how to live life with meaning
• and more…

Some statisticians tell us that it would be Jesus Christ. Yet He did this without pursuing celebrity status. In fact He was hated, persecuted and eventually crucified at age 33. He gained worldwide renown without ever having left the land of Israel since infancy. He wrote no books himself, owned very few possessions, associated freely with outcasts as well as royalty without being swayed by either, and taught truth boldly. He worked as a carpenter in a remote village until age 30, leaving only about 3 ½ years to make His mark on history. We are entering the season of the year supposedly devoted to recognizing His birth, yet many in our country would prefer to leave Him out of it completely.

I am grateful for His influence on me and want to make Him central,

Henry Wiebe