Pusher or Puller?

“If you only do what you know you can-you never do very much.”
~Tom Krause

I write with the hope that I inspire others. But writing, like many other things in life, comes with risks. There is always a risk of failure and a sort of sensitivity involved in pouring one’s thoughts out only to leave them open to critique. Last week, another writer asked me where my inspiration comes from. The question alone was enough to inspire me to investigate an answer.

I can name countless things that surround me and provide inspiration. I try to be in tune with the world around me...the people I come in contact with, the things I hear, the things I see. Inspiration comes from my family, other writers, books, sermons, conversations, and even dreams. Sometimes the inspiration pushes me to take action. Sometimes, it pushes me to reflect upon my own actions. Either way, I think inspiration serves as one main purpose: to do something; to act in some way. The choice of whether that action is positive or negative lies within the individual.
There are people who inspire me, but I have learned that people (including myself) are fallible and will inevitably let you down. So, it is best not to put too much stock in the individual. God, on the other hand, is perfect and He never gives us more than we can handle. Furthermore, He never gives us a task without making sure we have to tools to complete what is asked of us. To me, that is comforting inspiration.

Yet, I know it’s important to have role models, mentors, and teachers for some things in life. Such people, those who have “been there and done that”, have the ability to inspire others to push past their achievements and accomplish greater things. Or, they can stop us dead in our tracks with discouragement, pulling us down to become “dead in the water.” So I ask myself: “Am I a pusher or a puller? Am I just waiting for someone to come along and have an influence over me or am I motivated to be that positive influence in someone else’s life?”

Webster’s dictionary defines inspiration as any influence that stimulates thought or action. I wonder how great the world would be if we all put thought into our actions and strived to influence others in a positive way. And, that effect could be doubled if those thoughts included people other than ourselves. In order to be open to inspiration, no matter how big or small, we must have our ears, eyes, minds, and hearts open. I believe having these things open allows us to invite in positive inspiration and weed out the negative influences that only bring us down.

I’m just an ordinary person with an ordinary life. But I believe that God uses ordinary people every day to accomplish great things for Him. I believe we should live each day with inspiration to influence others that they might see Him in our lives and come to know Jesus as their personal Savior. Each day I want to be in tune with the needs of those around me so that I might be the influence that stimulates positive action. Join me, dear reader. Open your heart, lend an ear, extend a hand, show a smile… and inspire someone today!