Four key elements characterize people who have decided to influence their family.

1 – Influencers have a vision
They are people who dream of seeing their family positively transformed. For example, they want to see their family members come to faith, see more of them get married, or see their relatives thrive financially.

2 – Influencers have identified one or more obstacles to their family’s growth
They are individuals who have recognized a problem within their family, such as numerous cases of divorce, frequent deaths, or widespread chronic illnesses.

3 – Influencers are frustrated
They are deeply frustrated by the problems they see in their family. They are troubled by the fact that the situation doesn’t change. The presence of these issues sometimes keeps them up at night and saddens them.

4 – Influencers are willing to make sacrifices
They are ready to sacrifice their time, treasures, and talents so that their family members can flourish and so that things can improve positively.

Generally, family influencers are few in number. Indeed, it’s not something one simply decides to become. Take the example of Moses, the great patriarch of the Bible — God called him to be the deliverer of his brothers, the people of Israel.

In my case, I truly believe it’s a calling from God. Not everyone has this predisposition. I remember, in my personal experience, that I would sometimes cry over my family and couldn’t understand why my brothers and sisters didn’t feel the same way. I couldn’t grasp why they didn’t carry the same burden as I did. This really puzzled me.

The reason I say it’s a special calling is that it’s the same kind of feeling intercessors have when they wonder why others don’t pray for five hours a day like they do, or why worship leaders don’t understand why everyone doesn’t sing naturally…!

What a family influencer is not!

A family influencer is not necessarily the wealthiest person. In many families, it’s true that people give more consideration to those who are financially wealthy. This often happens because people tend to focus on appearances, while God looks at the heart. If you’re not the wealthiest in your family, it doesn’t matter — you can still make a real difference regardless of your financial situation.

For the record, I went through a period of financial drought, and despite that, I kept giving advice, encouraging, praying for my loved ones, and most importantly, continuing to make an impact on my family. You are not your bank account! Who you are is part of your identity in Christ. What matters most is knowing who you are in Christ. There’s a saying that goes, “Before you do, you must have, and before you have, you must be.” Knowing your identity in Christ is truly essential.

A family influencer is not necessarily the eldest.
While reading the Bible, I realized that Moses, who was chosen by God to deliver the people of Israel, was not even the oldest in his family — he was the youngest. We know that his sister Miriam was several years older than him. Three months after Moses was born, she could already speak and walk, so she was at least five years old. Moreover, Exodus 7:7 tells us that Moses was eighty (80) years old and Aaron eighty-three (83) when they spoke to Pharaoh.

So, if you’re the youngest in your family, it doesn’t matter — you can still be an influencer. It is God who chooses and calls. Take the example of David, who was also the youngest in his family; Joseph, the eleventh out of twelve siblings; and Gideon, the youngest in his family… Age is not a limitation!

The influencer is not necessarily the most intelligent or the one with the highest academic background.
The Bible says that God chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. I’m not asking you to be foolish, but I want to reassure you that it is God who chooses and gives the ability to fulfill the mission. You did not choose yourself — God did. So let yourself be guided by Him.

God is more concerned with the transformation of your family than you are, for several reasons, including (but not limited to):

• God carries the burden of seeing people live in abundance. That’s why Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
• God does not want sinners to perish but desires that all be saved.

God is more invested in the salvation of your family members than you are. So trust Him, and you will see it come to pass.

However, it’s important to understand that influencing your family will undoubtedly have a spiritual impact…

This text is an excerpt from the book “9 Keys to Winning Your Family to Christ” written by Francine CHEUMBOU.

We invite you to read the following article: “The Benefits of Family Influencers.”