Five Basic Areas of Influence

Many things influence our lives. The following five topics cover the spectrum of agencies that mold our lives and help to determine our destinies.

• What We See – This category is not primarily what society causes us to see, but what we purposefully view. A familiar saying expresses the great influence of what we see: “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
• What We Hear – Again, this category is not primarily society’s din and shouting of obscenities, but what we purposefully seek out, relish, enjoy, dwell upon, and repeat.
• What We Think – Here we do not refer to the passing, foolish thoughts that Satan or our environment injects into our minds, but what we dwell upon, revel in, and determine to carry out after planned thinking.
• What We Read – Due to its influence upon the character, we must regulate our planned, purposeful ingestion of printed matter, over which we have absolute control.
• What Company We Keep – This phrase does not describe the casual acquaintance from school, job, or society, but mentors, idols, friends, buddies, and intimate circle of associates. They become a measure of what we, too, are. Here is the focal point of our subject.