Have you ever noticed how certain believers seem to carry an unmistakable influence wherever they go? It’s not loud or forceful, yet their presence somehow shifts the atmosphere. These people aren’t merely talented or accomplished—they carry something deeper, a sense of purpose that flows from knowing exactly who they are in God.

In our world of competing voices and shifting values, many of us long to make this kind of impact. We desire to see our families, workplaces, and communities touched by God’s presence through us. Yet the path to true influence often seems unclear. How do we as Christians shape the culture around us without being shaped by it?

Matthew 5:13-15
New King James Version
13 You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

In these familiar words, Jesus reveals something profound about influence. Before you can change the culture, you must know who you are. Identity precedes impact.

When we try to influence without a secure identity in Christ, compromise is almost certain to follow.

Notice how Jesus addresses His followers. He doesn’t say, “Try to be salt” or “Work hard to become light.” He declares with authority, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” This is not a command to achieve but a statement of who we already are in Him.

Our identity as salt and light is not something we strive for; it is our inherent reality as believers, purchased by His blood and sealed by His Spirit.

Salt served two primary functions in the ancient world: preservation and flavour. Without refrigeration, salt was essential to prevent decay. Similarly, believers are placed in society to prevent moral and spiritual decay.

Salt achieves this not by becoming like what it seasons, but by being distinctly different. If salt were to somehow lose its unique properties and blend completely with its surroundings, it would forfeit its very purpose.

In the same way, light has one fundamental quality—it dispels darkness. It doesn’t negotiate with shadows or try to understand the darkness better; it simply shines.

A lamp hidden under a basket contradicts its very nature and purpose. Its power lies in its visibility, in standing in stark contrast to the surrounding darkness.

Colossians 3:3
New King James Version
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This verse reveals the source of our identity. Our true life is not defined by social media profiles, career achievements, or the opinions of others. It is “hidden with Christ in God”—anchored in something eternal and unchanging. From this secure foundation, genuine influence naturally flows.

When we attempt to impact culture without this secure identity, we become like salt that has lost its distinctive taste—ineffective and easily trampled underfoot. The world constantly pressures believers to conform, to soften distinctive aspects of our faith in the name of acceptance or relevance.

We might be tempted to blend in, thinking that by becoming more like the world, we can somehow reach it more effectively. But Jesus’ words challenge this thinking: our influence comes not from conforming but from standing firm in who we are in Him.

A light bulb disconnected from its power source remains dark regardless of its design or potential. Our connection to Christ is our power source. As we abide in Him daily, His life flows through us, and our light naturally shines.

John 15:5
New King James Version
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

True influence isn’t achieved through strategy or techniques. It isn’t a performance to be mastered but the natural result of an inner reality.

As we grow deeper in our relationship with Christ—reading His Word, spending time in prayer, walking in obedience—His character increasingly shapes ours.

People will be drawn not to our imitation of worldly patterns but to the authentic reflection of Christ within us.

Many believers today feel pressure to be relevant, to soften biblical convictions to gain a hearing. But our primary calling is not to be accepted by the culture but to be faithful representatives of heaven on earth.

Our lives are meant to point others to the One who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.

This impact doesn’t begin with public recognition; it begins with private faithfulness. It starts in the quiet moments of choosing God’s ways over the world’s, standing for truth when compromise would be easier.

You don’t influence culture by becoming like it; you influence culture by becoming like Christ. You are not called to blend in; you are called to stand out.

As God’s ambassador, your mission is not to fit into this world but to bring the reality of another Kingdom into it.

So dear believer, prioritize knowing who you are in Christ above all else. Delve into His Word, spend time in His presence, walk in fellowship with His people.

As your identity in Him grows stronger, your influence will follow—not because you’re striving for it, but because the light of Christ within you cannot be contained.

Prayer Point
Father, help me to always remember my identity in you, that you are my source. Help me to stand firm in this world full of contradictions and let my life truly reflect who you are to my generation.