This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. The Advent season includes the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, which means Christmas Day is not far away!

Advent is a time of expectancy and preparation for the celebration of Jesus birth.

I love the Advent season. In amongst the busyness and materialism of the season, I so appreciate the privilege of having to sit down and remember the birth of Jesus as I prepare Advent messages for our Sunday morning and online services.

And I also carve out time to decorate and bake and watch cheesy and classic Christmas movies. This year I have already found my new favourite, Spirited. It’s a fun, modern musical version of the classic Charles Dickens story starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. I know… I had you at Ryan Reynolds ;)

Brian and I watched it on Sunday night, so the message that I preached “We’re influential” was fresh on my mind. Will Ferrell sings the song called Ripple…and if I had watched the movie on Saturday night I would have likely played you a clip on Sunday morning, it was perfect! (And you would have thought that Will Ferrell could sing?)

“One person’s kindness can have a ripple effect…imagine how far the ripple can go.” - The Ghost of Christmas Present, Spirited

Ferrell (The Ghost of Christmas Present) belts out:

Consider the possibilities! Now if we choose this dude, one goes to two and four. And jumps from four to eight (Ripple, ripple, ripple)

Yes, soon you guys, it multiplies to thousands more. Can you hear it reverberate? (Ripple, ripple, ripple)

Then to millions and to billions and it never ends. All across the world the change is gaining some traction.

“One person’s kindness can have a ripple effect.”

I makes me think of Daniel from the Old Testament. You might recall that Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den (Daniel 6). Daniel lived in a godless culture, yet he impacted nations, kings, wise men and his friends by living a life that pleased God. His ripples of influence expanded incrementally, leading to an impact he never could have predicted — one that extends to my family and yours almost 3,000 years later.

When we reflect God’s character through the gifts and opportunities God gives us, we’re like rocks tossed into a pond, producing ripple effects that inspire those in our sphere and beyond to think and act differently. “Imagine how far the ripple can go!”

You don’t have to be a celebrity, rich or successful. You don’t need an impressive degree or lots of followers on social media. A specific age, nationality or personality is not a requirement, and you’re not limited by your job, location or marital status. You, my friend, have the power to positively influence others, today, right where you are!

God uses ordinary people like you and me to be a part of extraordinary “God stories” — real-life narratives of purpose and influence. Although we’re all imperfect and inconsistent, we can still be influential because of God’s grace and power in and through us.

“Do you wanna make a ripple, ripple, ripple I think you wanna make a ripple, ripple, ripple”