Who Has Impacted You

The other day, I received word that one of my beloved teachers had died. I knew that she had touched the lives of many people, and the ones that I knew, I e-mailed them to tell them the sad news. One of these people was my brother Brian. He immediately posted the news on his Facebook page.
Within a couple of hours he e-mailed me asking me to answer some of the questions that people asked about her. I navigated to his Facebook page and I was completely overwhelmed at the responses. Within two hours of him making the announcement, he had already had many responses. All from former students, all with positive comments. I immediately realized that it wasn't just my class nor my brothers class that she had an impact on. These comments came from three different decades of her teaching career. I wondered if she knew the type impact that she had on all of us.
While you were growing up, there were people that had an impact on your life. Whether it was a parent, pastor, teacher, coach, or your next door neighbor, someone had a positive impact on your life. They were constantly building you up to be a better person. They epitomized Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (NIV). They knew the difference in corrective rebuke and constant criticism. They knew that if they built you up, you would become a better person than if they tore you down.
Have you thanked that person? Not necessarily in a letter or a phone call, but in your life. Has your life shown the positive impact that these people have had on your life. Or are you living a life that you would be ashamed to show them, because you feel they would be disappointed in you. If you feel that they would be disappointed in you, now is a good time to make the necessary changes that would show the positive influence they have had in your life.
I want to also encourage you to write a letter or give them a phone call. Drop a line to your social studies teacher and tell him thank you for the lessons he taught, even if he cheered for the wrong school. Send a letter to your music teacher who after twenty years of being out of school still does little things to help you along in your life. Your math teacher who put students needs first, regardless of their knowledge, when they struggled he helped them.
It doesn't have to be limited to teachers. A high ranking person in a business taking you under his wing and leading you into adulthood. Your neighbor, despite having a family of his own, treats you as one of his own children, even showing up for parent night at college. A pastor who guides and comforts you through your struggles and is there when you need him. I'm sure you can think of someone who impacted your life. Sometimes a simple thank you is enough for them to know they did a good job. Tell them now, don't wait until their funeral to tell them the impact they've had on your life.