By Jon Beaty

Have you ever felt like your faith is private, deeply personal, but limited to your participation in Sabbath services and personal devotions? Do you wonder if your faith has any impact in the lives of those around you?

As Seventh-day Adventists, we cherish profound truths about health, prophecy, and the Sabbath. Yes, many of us grapple with a common challenge: how to bridge the gap between our beliefs and the skeptical world outside our church doors. Friends drift away, family members resist invitations to events, and neighbors remain untouched by our example. This isolation can leave us discouraged, wondering if our light is too dim.

There’s a powerful solution rooted in Scripture and the inspired counsel of Ellen White: stewarding our “talent of influence.” By intentionally cultivating a Christ-like atmosphere in our daily interactions, we can transform passive faith into active witness, drawing others to the gospel, not just through words, but through the glow of God’s love in action.

A Divine Mandate to Shine

Jesus declared, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV).

This isn’t just poetic imagery—it’s a divine mandate.

This principle has guided our church board’s priorities over the past two and a half years. They’ve focused on fostering spiritual growth through revival events, bridge events that connect with the community, and reaping meetings to harvest souls. These efforts remind us that influencing others to receive gospel truth depends as much on our good works as on our sound doctrines. Words alone can fall flat; it’s the lived-out faith that changes minds.

The Parable That Changes Everything

I invite you to take another look at Jesus’ Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. Ellen White, in her book Christ’s Object Lessons, dedicates a remarkable 44 pages—about 10% of the entire volume—to this parable, out of 30 parables she comments on. That’s a clear signal of its importance. Traditionally, preachers point to this parable to emphasize financial stewardship, but Ellen expands it to include the stewardship of influence—how we let our light shine.

Recall the parable: A master entrusts talents (ancient units of money) to three servants before a journey. The first receives five, invests them, and doubles his amount. The second gets two and does the same. But the third, given one talent, buries it out of fear, returning it unchanged. Upon the master’s return, the faithful servants are rewarded with praise and greater responsibility: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21, 23, NIV). The fearful one, however, faces condemnation: his talent is taken away, and he’s cast into outer darkness, where there’s weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The lesson? God gives each of us spiritual gifts—talents—not to hide, but to invest for His kingdom. Hiding them seals a destiny of darkness and regret. As Ellen warns, burying our talents determines our eternal destination. She echoes Jesus’s appeal: don’t hide your light under a bowl. Instead, let it illuminate the world.

The Atmosphere We Create

Ellen’s commentary on pages 343-344 adds a profound layer, especially on the “talent of influence.” She describes every soul as surrounded by an atmosphere of its own—an invisible aura that affects everyone we encounter. This atmosphere might be “charged with the life-giving power of faith, courage, and hope, and sweet with the fragrance of love.” Imagine walking into a room and leaving people uplifted, inspired to seek God because of the peace and joy radiating from you. That’s the positive influence we’re called to steward.

Conversely, our atmosphere could be “heavy and chill with the gloom of discontent and selfishness, or poisonous with the deadly taint of cherished sin.” By this surrounding aura, “every person with whom we come in contact is consciously or unconsciously affected.” Think about it: a harsh word at work, a judgmental glance in church, or a self- absorbed attitude at home can repel others from the very truths we hold dear. As Adventists, we’re not immune to this. Our emphasis on end-time preparation can sometimes foster isolation if we forget that influence starts with relational warmth fueled by the Holy Spirit.

The Inescapable Responsibility

This talent of influence is a responsibility we cannot free ourselves from. Our words, acts, dress, demeanor—even the expression of our countenance—exert influence. If by example we aid others in developing good principles, we empower them to do good. They, in turn, influence others, creating a ripple effect of blessings. Ellen illustrates: when we practice the law’s principles in daily life, bearing witness to loving God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves, the church gains power to move the world.

Power to Move the World.

Character is power here. The silent witness of a true, unselfish, godly life carries an almost irresistible influence. By revealing Christ’s character in our own lives, we cooperate with Him in saving souls. Our programs and events are useless without the quiet revelation of Jesus love through us. Ellen notes that character is the only way we truly partner with God in this work.

The wider our sphere of influence, the more good we can do. Those who profess to serve God, following Jesus’ example and practicing love in daily life, empower the church to impact society. We move the world by displaying more of Jesus—His character in our homes, churches, workplaces, and schools. When we have more of Him, our influence grows exponentially.

Practical Ways to Invest Your Influence

Consider practical ways to invest this talent. Start small: smile at a stranger, listen with genuine interest to a neighbor, or help organize and put on a community bridge event. In our church, these initiatives have shown that good works open doors for doctrine. As Adventists facing a world in turmoil, our health message, Sabbath rest, and hope in Jesus’ return become compelling when backed by loving influence. Don’t underestimate your sphere of influence—family, friends, neighbors. The master didn’t criticize the servant with two talents for not matching the one with five; he praised faithful investment of what was given.

Guarding Against Negative Influence

Yet, we must guard against negative atmospheres. Cherished sin poisons our influence, driving others away. Self-examination is key: Is my daily life charged with faith’s fragrance or selfishness’s chill? By surrendering to Christ, we allow Him to transform our aura into a beacon.

The Call to Action

In a time when society craves authenticity, our stewarded influence can fulfill Jesus’ call. We’re not just waiting for His return; we’re hastening it by shining brightly.

My appeal: As you look to the days, weeks, and months ahead, if your desire is to see Jesus come soon, invest whatever few or many talents of influence you have in His work. Move the parts of the world nearest to you—your home, workplace, school, and community.

Don’t hide your light under a bowl.

Let it shine!