How Would You Like Jesus To Impact Your Life?
- Drew M Christian
- Oct 23
- 6 min read
October 21, 2025
John Ortberg, in his book Who Is This Man?: The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus, asks, “How would you like Jesus to impact your life?”
How would you like Jesus to impact your life?
Here are three examples of the countless times Jesus has impacted mine…
I remember taking a trip to Chicago with my brother several years ago. My brother and I decided to spend a week together in what was, for me, a strange city.
I remember a beggar coming up to us as we walked, asking for a dollar or two. As we pushed on by, I thought to myself, “What am I doing?”
I told my brother and his friends to wait up, and I walked back to the beggar we had passed. I sat and talked with him, learned his name, asked if he had checked into the local shelters, and listened to part of his story. Not only did I give him money—asking him not to spend it on anything that would harm his body—but I also prayed with him: a white pastor, $20 poorer, grasping the hands of a black beggar amid what probably appeared to him, quite often, a heartless city.
How would I like Jesus to impact my life?
He already has—in ways beyond anything I could ask for.
But I would like Jesus to continue helping me grow as a servant—to be more compassionate, to learn to truly see those around me as Christ sees them.
“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7, NIV).
I want Jesus’ words to forever impact my life, as He has impacted the world—continuing to remind me of the worth of every person, and leading me to reach beyond my comfort zone more often, to touch those who are hurting, especially those who are very different from me.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:40, NIV).
I am reminded of an Emmaus weekend—a three-day spiritual retreat—where I was led by the Spirit to see God’s love for me in a new way. I came to see God’s love like the love I have for my son when I walk in on him sleeping at night. When I see him sleeping, I realize that no matter what he ever does in this life, I will love him. I will always see him as my little boy.
God showed me that this is how He looks at me—and at each of you.
Over the years as a pastor, I have found myself “butting heads” with members of my congregations as I attempted to implement change. My wife and I discovered that not only did some people disagree with us, but sadly, over the years, we had enemies. Often, we were hurt by things said or done behind our backs.
It took me a long time to learn to pray for them—not that they would change and agree with me, but that God would bless them and open their hearts to receive all He had for them. I began trying to imagine what they looked like in their baby pictures, or perhaps in an old elementary school photo—innocent, beautiful, young children, like my boys—before the world got to them. And I realized that this is how God still sees them.
How would I like Jesus to impact my life?
Again, He already has—beyond anything I could ask for. But I would like Jesus to continue helping me grow to love my enemies, to pray for those who curse me, to forgive those who hurt me.
Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
I want Jesus’ words to forever impact my life and my relationships, as He has impacted the world.
“Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34, NLT).
One more example: Worry.
How I worry! I don’t know why. I’ve seen God take care of every issue, every problem—walk with me, my family, and my churches over the years. God has always been there. Yet, I still worry. I worry about the future, about finances, about my children, about my writing, about my work, and about my dreams.
How would I like Jesus to impact my life?
Again, He already has, beyond anything I could ask for. But I would like Jesus to help me trust Him more—to help me live each day knowing I do not need to worry. He is faithful. He can be trusted.
“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:25–26, NIV).
I want Jesus’ words to forever impact my life as He has impacted the world—so I will no longer find myself feeding on worry and doubt. Instead, I want to live with the continuous knowledge and assurance that God’s got this!
“Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27, NIV).
How would you like Jesus to impact your life?
Do you want Him to help you finally forgive that person you’ve carried a grudge against for years?
Do you want Him to help you love your spouse as Christ loved the Church?
Do you want Him to help you see the poor and the hurting—to make a difference in their lives and live with compassion?
Do you want Him to help you be more of a servant—less selfish, more sacrificial?
Do you want Him to help you fight the greed you wrestle with, the pride that rears its ugly head, the lust that eats away at you in the night?
Do you want Him to teach you to love more, lead more, understand more, see more—to become the man or woman of God you were created to be?
Do you want Him to help you let go of the guilt, the pain, the regret you carry?
Do you want Him to hold you in His arms and let you experience the joy of His salvation?
How would you like Jesus to impact your life?
I’m sure there are some who, if they were honest, would admit they’re reluctant to have Jesus further change their lives. They are reluctant to believe they are being called to change—to think differently, to live differently. Some certainly don’t want to be prodded by Jesus to love their enemies, to turn the other cheek, to give more money to help the poor, or to visit the prisoner.
Max Lucado, in his book, Just Like Jesus: Learning to Have a Heart Like His, tells a story:
When my daughter was a toddler, I used to take her to a park not far from our apartment. One day as she was playing in a sandbox, an ice-cream salesman approached us. I purchased her a treat, and when I turned to give it to her, I saw her mouth was full of sand. Where I had intended to put a delicacy, she had put dirt.
Did I love her with dirt in her mouth? Absolutely.Was she any less my daughter with dirt in her mouth? Of course not.Was I going to allow her to keep the dirt in her mouth? No way.I loved her right where she was, but I refused to leave her there.I carried her over to the water fountain and washed out her mouth. Why? Because I love her.
God does the same for us. He holds us over the fountain. “Spit out the dirt, honey,” our Father urges. “I’ve got something better for you.” And so, He cleanses us of filth—immorality, dishonesty, prejudice, bitterness, greed. We don’t enjoy the cleansing; sometimes we even opt for the dirt over the ice cream. “I can eat dirt if I want to!” we pout and proclaim. Which is true—we can. But if we do, the loss is ours. God has a better offer.
This is what Jesus did. He came into the world and said, “I’ve got something better for you.” Many still opted—as they do today—for the dirt. But millions, since Jesus walked this earth, have opted for the something better, allowing God to wash away the dirt and replace it with a delicacy.
You also have that opportunity—each day, each hour—to allow His revolutionary teaching, His life and death, to change you… to transform you.
John Ortberg writes, “Jesus’ impact was greater a hundred years after his death than during his life; it was greater still after five hundred years; after a thousand years his legacy laid the foundation for much of Europe; after two thousand years he has more followers in more places than ever.”
If Jesus—this one solitary life—could change so much, shape so much, transform so much…If this Jesus of Nazareth could have such an overwhelming, inescapable, inexhaustible impact on human history…
Just imagine how Jesus could impact your life if you would let Him.
Comments