Impression vs. Impact By Ashley Dean

This past weekend I was asked the question, “Ashley, are you impressing people or impacting them?” After thinking it over, I realized that I’ve done them both. An if you’re reading this I’m sure if the shoe were on your foot it would fit you as well. However, it opened my eyes to realize the power and influence we truly have on others, whether its knowing or not.

As you think back over your life, who had the greatest impact on you? Was it your father, mother, high school teacher, pastor, etc. Nevertheless, somewhere along your journey someone has impacted your life, good or bad. Now when you think about that, who are you impacting? There is a difference between impress and impact. Many people love to be impressed and many people love to impress others. By definition, impact is having a strong effect on someone or something; the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another. Impression is an idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without conscious thought or on the basis of little evidence.

This week, I challenge you to self-evaluate yourself and see if you’re impacting the lives of those you encounter or merely just impressing them. We as Christians are obligated to impact others its clearly stated. The bible says in Matthew 5:13 – 16, ^“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. With this being said, we have a responsibility to impact the people around us (even those at our job that we aren’t so fond of) in the same way salt impacts food and how light turns darkness into day. As parents, we have to impact the lives of our children.

So, in closing, if you’re wondering if your life and the examples you display are impressing others or impacting their lives ask yourself this: When I die what will they say about me. Will the works that I’ve done be enough to save someone.

Making a great day or not the choice is yours.