Friday, June 11, 2010

 

You Can Be a Positive Influence

Currently, the world is witnessing a dramatic example of influence. On April 20, 2010, forty miles off the coast of Louisiana, a tragedy erupted. An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig killed eleven people and wounded seventeen. As a result of the explosion a pipe measuring twenty inches in diameter was broken off, 5000 feet beneath the waters’ surface, out in the Gulf of Mexico. Within minutes crude oil that was meant to be captured and refined began spewing into the gulf.

Mind you, it was just one pipe from one of the 750 off shore drilling rigs that populate the gulf. But within hours it was clear that the influence of this one well would be enormous and catastrophic. Although estimates are varied, most experts are guessing that, from that fateful day clear up until the writing of this article, Horizon’s broken pipe has been pumping 19,000 barrels of oil (798,000 gallons) per day into the ocean. That oil has now begun to influence the entire gulf, the gulf coast, and beyond.

There is current evidence that this leak has already tainted 29,000 square miles of water. Damage estimates are already numbering in the billions of dollars – some believe the cost will exceed $100 billion. One marine biologist from Duke University predicted the spill could reach 100 million gallons, and reach Florida and the East Coast before the well can be sealed. Reuters reported that, as of May 30th , dead animals collected from the spill include 491 dead birds, 227 sea turtles, and 27 dolphins.

This one little well has been so influential that, according to BP’s website, as of June 1st :
• 22,000 personnel have been deployed
• 1,600 vessels are on site
• 3.7 million feet of boom have been deployed
• 321,000 barrels of oil-water mix have been recovered
• 17 staging areas have been set-up to protect shoreline
• 30,000 claims have been filed and 15,000 already paid
That’s how influence works. One small uncapped well has the potential of affecting a great ocean in the same way that a just a few granules of koolaid mix can color an entire pitcher of water.

People have that kind of influence. You might be surprised at the number of people you are influencing. Children are learning from you. Others are taking cues from your daily life. I hope you are making choices that insure that your influence is positive. Your kindness or love can influence an entire workplace, home or community. Your ethical and responsible life could affect people for generations to come. Your morality and decency could color an entire people group.

We often shudder at the destruction caused by one man, such as Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein or Karl Marx. But we would do well to make note of the vast amount of good that has been set in motion by people like Jesus and His disciples, the founders of universities and hospitals, scientists, writers, and inventors. Certainly people can have a negative influence, but - just as certainly - people can have positive influence. Good people must resist the temptation to focus on evil influence and purpose to let their one, small life influence the ocean of people around them in a positive way. You can have a positive influence!

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