There are 2 types of Influence of friends. They are;
1. The positive influence of friends
2. The negative influence of friends
The positive influence of friends is the influence of friends that helps others to discover, develop, and deploy their potentials and purposes. The negative influence of friends is the influence of friends that hinder, hide, and harm others from reaching their destinies.
Every friendship is influential. The friends you choose, decide the influence you receive. One wrong friend can destroy you forever. Wrong friendships will destroy you as fast as right friendships will develop you. Never undermine the influence of friendship.
I am sharing with you on the life of a man we all know or you probably have heard of. We are going to look at his life and how one friend's positive influence on him changed his life forever. This man is called David Livingston.
David Livingston would have given up in life if not for a friend called Robert Moffat. David Livingston was born on 19th March 1813 and passed away on 1st May 1873. In the process of time, it is said that Livingston's first attempt to preach ended up in failure. The moment he was called upon to preach, David forgot about the message to preach and automatically had nothing to say.
All that he said was, "Friends I've forgotten all that I have to say" and he stepped down from the pulpit in shame and discouragement. When David was leaving the place in absolute despondency, he was approached by a friend, Robert Moffat, who encouraged him and told him "NEVER GIVE UP". He advised that, if he cannot be a pastor or missionary; perhaps he could be a doctor.
When he got home, David Livingston sat at the edge of his bed and reflected on the words of Robert Moffat, and finally decided to both be a missionary and a doctor. Shortly afterward, he attended a medical school to pursue his goal of becoming a medical doctor. He then continued to a missionary school and eventually became both a missionary and a medical doctor.
He traveled to Africa after completion,for exploration. David Livingston explored many places in Africa, drew maps and navigated the rivers that opened the doors to Africa for traders and missionaries to help promote evangelism. He wrote several books and developed theories that were used to cure malaria.
He promoted education in Africa, abolished slave trade in some places and built healthcare centres. Why could David Livingston, who was once a failure in preaching, achieved so much with his life and is even still remembered in our days?... It is simply because of one friend who influenced him to believe in his greatness instead of his weakness.
One friend who encouraged David Livingston never to give up, changed his entire destiny. It doesn't take a thousand good friends to be great, it takes just one right friend. Only one right friend like the chief butler in the life of Joseph, caused all his long awaited dreams to become a reality.
Who is your friend?... Your friend will influence your destiny. Your friend will influence your future. Make the right friends. And take your friendship with God and godly people seriously; it is the only way to have a great future. Remember, to be a friend of positive INFLUENCE on others.
God bless you.
JOHN ARTHUR,
PRESIDENT | AUTHOR | SPEAKER,
THE SCHOOL OF FRIENDSHIP.