The Preacher’s Character: Influences

Who has the freedom to speak into your life? It’s an important question for any believer, but especially so for pastors. As ministry leaders, we need to consider who are those people in our lives that can hold us accountable and influence us in positives ways.
In Proverbs, Solomon speaks to his son, the young prince who is training to be the king. As part of his son’s training, Solomon encourages his son to consider who he will listen to since that choice determines whether we take the path of death or life.
 
A Path of Violence and Death (Prov 1:8-19) 
Solomon pictures his son being influenced to hang out with a gang that wants to ambush and kill an innocent person. The idea is like that of a pack of animals lying in wait and lurking for prey (Ps 10:9; Lam 3:10-11). This will come back around on the gang in v.18, but this is like when parents ask their kids, “If your friends drove off a cliff, would you do it?”
This is not to say that we should avoid being around nonbelievers. We need to be around unbelievers in our lives so that we can love them and share the gospel with them. Absolutely. But watch out for who is influencing you. Solomon, the father, is warning his son for who he is hanging out with, and it is clear that who he is wanting to hang with is leading him on a path of murder and death.
Pastor, who are your influences? In what ways are they shaping your character? Resolve to be around those who will point you to Jesus rather than a path away from Him.

A Path of Peace and Life (Prov 1:20-33) 
Thankfully, there is an alternative to the gang of sinners. Instead, Solomon exhorts his son to listen to Lady Wisdom, a street preacher who calls out for the simple to turn from their ways and follow her path (Prov 1:20-22). In fact, Lady Wisdom says that for those who respond and turn from the path of death, she will actually pour out her spirit on them (Prov 1:23).
The path that leads to life in God is the one less traveled by. Few find it (Matt 7:13-14). But those that do find it need supernatural help. Because without help from God, we are likely to give into the gang, to give into the peer pressure, and walk down the path that leads to death.

Who Will You Listen To? 
It is becoming increasingly important for pastors to choose those who will encourage them to choose the path of life. Multiple stories have come out even this year of high-profile pastors who committed some sort of sin because they had no one to speak into their lives and keep them accountable. King David, during his sin with Bathsheba, had the prophet Nathan who boldly approached him to confront him for his sin.
Pastor, do you have someone like this who you can listen to? Who influences you and helps to shape your character? Left unchecked, we can be like the son in Proverbs 1 who listens to the violent gang and goes along with their plans. Instead, resolve now to find those positive influences in your life that can point you on the path of Jesus as you seek to maintain a Christ-like character.