I came across this video on Anne Jacksons blog today, and it fits with so much of what I’ve been thinking about over the last week or so…

So what does it all mean? That’s the question posed at the end of the video.

I’ve been thinking a lot about influence, about who has influence, about how we use our influence. The clip above gives us a sense of how fast the world is changing, how much our ability to impact a large group of people has mushroomed in recent years. Over the last week or so I’ve been given glimpses into the influence I have, whether through conversations with authors and musicians, or blogging friends, or neighbors…

  • I discovered a new coffee shop near my flat, and lots of my friends have started frequenting it.
  • I was talking about a band I love recently and realising how many people in Glasgow I’ve introduced to their music.
  • I had a conversation with an author who told me someone introduced themselves to him as knowing me.
  • A friend shared how our collaborative project doubled the hits on her blog.

One way to define influence is ‘to determine; to shape; to give direction to’. What am I shaping? Which direction am I pointing you in?

If influence is currency, what am I spending it on?

I talk on this blog a lot about injustice, about forgiveness, about hope, about love, about community. Are those the things you see when you read my blog? Are they the things you see when you look at my life?

And what do I see when I look at your life? You are having an influence on me, too. Maybe you don’t even realise it, maybe you don’t see the myriad of ways you impact and change me. Those words you wrote that prompted me to go and read that Bible passage. The youtube video you blogged that made me go and find out about TOMS. The question you twittered that made me reevaluate something. Meeting me for coffee and taking me somewhere thats entirely Fairtrade.

Every decision you make causes ripples.
Every decision I make causes ripples.

What kind of ripples are we leaving in our wake?

I wanted to leave you with a glimpse of what one of my favourite organisations is up to again…

Christmas can [still] change the world.

Welcome to the Advent Conspiracy.