What influence do your hands have?

Influence, the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something is an interesting conversation. We chide the young about the importance of avoiding bad influence, encourage the inexperienced to learn how to exert influence, and lean on the mature to gain the impact from their influence. Influence is all around us, which leads us to analyze, scrutinize and emphasize the how, why, when, and who. It is the "who" of influence that I wish to talk about.

Recently I read a story (unverified) about Albrecht Durer, a German artist of the late 1400's to early 1500's. According to the story, Durer grew up in a poor but large family of eighteen children of which he was the third child. Early in life he displayed talent in artistry. Because of this a close friend of his offered to work in the mines for Durer to pay for him to be able to attend school for his art. In the first couple of years Durer learned much and out did even his teachers. Within a short period of time Durer became able to earn enough to support both himself and his friend as they pursued their artistry. Durer returned home to tell his friend the good news, but upon seeing his friend he realized that the hands of his friend had been scared working in the mines to the point he would not be able to do art. His friend had sacrificed his ability by working to support Durer. According to the story, Durer created his work, the Praying Hands, as he thought of the hands of his friend that had been willing to sacrifice for him.

The influence on Albrecht Durer's life that is shown in many of his works of art, including the Praying Hands was a monk named Martin Luther. Martin Luther influenced many people with his theological stand and various teachings, but the influence he exerted on Albrecht Durer caused him to have influence on his friend as well as his art.

So, who are you influencing? Does your ability to influence make people better or worse? If someone was painting you, what would they paint? Would they be rough, calloused, praying hands like Albrecht Durer's friend, or even better, would they be the nail scarred hands of Jesus? We often complain about society and our world, but what are we doing to influence it for the kingdom of heaven?

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