Imagine that you have a power, a supernatural ability, to influence people all around you. You exercise this power by looking at people. There comes out of your eyes this light that when it lands on other people, especially their eyes, they become very open to the gospel. If they are mean, they become nice; if they are resistant, they become open; if they are obnoxious, they become super gracious. The strength of this power changes constantly and it is easy for you to see the change because the light gets bright or dull, sometimes almost going away. It doesn’t take very long for you to notice what causes the light to become very, very bright and for it almost to disappear. And because you want to be used by God to influence people to become Christ followers you conscientiously work hard at doing those things that makes your gift super bright, and avoiding the behavior that causes your light to grow dull.

In the New Testament this power from God to influence the people around us is called authority.

Matthew 7:28-29 the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Matthew 9:8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Matthew 10:1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

John 19:10-11 So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above;

If you could see this authority, this power from God grow strong or weak, at the moment of certain behavior, you would be very motivated to practice that behavior. I can tell you what that behavior is because the Bible tells us clearly what it is.

God states the first clearly and emphatically, this behavior will make or break you as a successful servant of God. It is humility in relationship to other people and in our relationship to God.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Mark 10:43-44 but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.

1 Peter 5:5-6 all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

The world teaches that the key to becoming a person of influence is to be assertive, strong to the point of being overbearing