Last week I was making a few changes to my blog’s site when I happened upon “Stats.” I have never been one to really care about my blog’s stats. I write because I love it. I write because I believe that whether I have been able to encourage just one person or 50 people, my purpose has been fulfilled.
But being human, my curiosity got the best of me and I was surprised to see how much information was available on stats. While it was interesting to see the number of page views my blogs have received, what really amazed me was that I could see my page views by country.
Imagine my surprise to find that my blog has been read from the countries of Taiwan, Canada, Germany, Russia, India, Iran, Greece, Ukraine and South Korea. I was just completely taken aback from this. I think I was especially shocked to see Iran on the list.
It got me thinking about Mark 16:15 where Jesus tells us to go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation. I think when most of us read that verse, we kind of gloss over it because we think it applies to preachers, evangelists and missionaries. Or we read that verse and we think, “Well that would be nice but I’m just a wife and mom, or a…whatever else you want to fill in the blank with.”
I have always felt like my ability to “reach the world” has been hindered because of where I am in life. But see…sometimes we can get so focused on “reaching the world” that we neglect to reach those within arm’s reach.
Wherever we are, whatever position in life we have been given, whatever tasks are before us…that is the place we are to reach the world. It starts in our heart, works into our home and then begins to reach “other” places. Those other places may not be another country. It may be your workplace, your neighborhood, your school, or wherever the Lord has you.
If there is one thing I have learned from running into my Stats page and seeing the countries that have visited my blog, it is that you never really know who you are influencing.
The clerk at the grocery store is watching how you interact with your child throwing a tantrum. The neighbor next door is watching how your family talks to each other. Your teacher is watching how you deal with peer pressure. Your co-worker is listening to the language you use. There are so many ways that our lives are speaking to others and we don’t even know it.
You are influencing lives and you are reaching the world to one degree or another…what are they seeing in your life?
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