Chase After Invaluable Influences

I was talking with someone the other day about influences.  My friend was sharing with me about the sad reality that most of the people she’s looked up to over the course of her life, have disappointed her… let her down.  She was expressing her thoughts, that unfortunately good examples and godly influences are just “hard to find these days.”

And I read this week about Elijah and Elisha.

Elijah was a great Old Testament prophet who was single-minded in his devotion to God, and his ministry involved many successes and victories that included raising a dead boy to life, overturning false gods, and causing an end for Israel’s three and a half year drought.

Elisha would be the successor to Elijah.  He would be the student of the great prophet who would commission Elisha to ministry after finding him ploughing in a field.

And then 1 Kings 19:20 tells us something interesting.  The Bible says that when Elijah placed his coat around his shoulders and PASSED HIM BY, “Elisha left the oxen standing there, (and) ran after Elijah.”

He ran after Him.

It doesn’t tell us that he ran WITH him.

It says he ran AFTER him.

Could it be because he saw something in him worth following?

Could it be that Elijah’s influence was radiantly seen by Elisha and that his very presence was enough to provoke his inner passion?

I think Elisha felt the influence of his forerunner.

I don’t think it was so much about what Elijah said.  Or even what he did, that mattered most.  I think it was Elijah’s reputation and his invaluable influence that sparked a sincere desire to follow him.

Because we see it in just a few verses later, that Elisha went home only to say goodbye to his family, kill the 12 oxen AND his plough, and then follow after the man who was… PASSING BY.

Elisha knew that opportunity… calling… influence… was passing by.

I think Elisha saw something in Elijah that smelled a bit like heaven.  Something that gave hope to the hurting, power to the weak, joy to the dejected.  He saw something of significant influence and he didn’t just observe it… he chased after it.

There are people of godly influence out there… and they are passing by us every day.  We have to decide whether we’re going to chase them down, or allow the moment of life-change to pass us by.

Maybe it’s time we let go of the negative influences and pursue a higher level of living. 

Search out the ones who are living honorable lives.  The ones who are kind and life-giving and spread joy and gently forbear.  Go with the ones who are pursuing greatness and are fiercely loyal and those who willingly sacrifice for others.

Chase after invaluable influences.