Yesterday one of our ministers was speaking about the influence we have on those around us. You may not think you have any influence on anyone, but you really do! Each of us touches so many people around us in ways we never imagine. If we actually thought about that daily, would we live differently?

Here is a thought to start your day: If you suddenly became famous and they decided to make a movie of your life; who would it be that played you?

You may or may not have heard of the movie “McFarland,” but it holds a special place in my heart. It basically tells the story of a Christian high school teacher working in a school in McFarland, California and changing the lives of many, many people. Jim White (the main character, played by Kevin Costner), took a special interest in underprivileged kids, many of them migrant workers and gave them purpose and hope. He changed their lives and many went on to college and became successes in their own lives.

A reporter heard about Jim and what he was doing and wrote a story about it for the News Paper. Someone read it, someone loved it, someone wrote a script and the rest is history so they say, as it became a very successful movie.

While living in California we got to know Jim and Cheryl White, who were in-laws to one of our best friends. We were blessed with even spending some holidays with them while living there and we learned that they are wonderful Christian folk, humble and kind and encouraging.

Now here is the point our minister, (Michael), made that started me thinking. Do you think that Jim White ever in his life went to the movies and watched “Dances with wolves”, and thought, “There is Kevin Costner; someday he’s going to play me in a movie.” No, I don’t think he did, yet it happened.

Have you ever thought of your life as “movie worthy”? I don’t imagine that many of us have even thought that our lives were interesting enough for anyone to want to hear about them much less be recorded in such a way. Yet your life is of great interest to some, but especially to our God. I don’t think it is an accident that these words are recorded for us in Matthew 5:16, where Jesus says: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven”. One modern paraphrase puts it this way: “You’re here to be light, allowing people to see God clearly. God is not a secret to be kept, go out and proclaim his importance in your life through your daily living.”

John writes these words of reminder in Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, the small and the great, stand before God. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works”. It sounds like what you do with your life is important, what do you think?