How to Move from Intentional to Influential

Written by Deb del Villar, Director of Communications

As we enter a new year, many Christian grandparents desire to be more than intentional—they long to be influential. While good intentions matter, lasting spiritual impact requires an eternal perspective.

What if this year, our focus shifted beyond daily concerns to shaping the hearts of our grandchildren for eternity? This begins with how we focus, listen, and live out our faith before the next generation.

Focus Determines What We See

Optical Illusion Illustration

As I pondered what that meant, one of the first things that came to mind was FOCUS. My middle and teenage grandchildren love those optical illusion drawings. You know the ones that are two in one. Some of their favorites are the vase/two people facing each other, the head/Eskimo, 3 or 4 bars, young lady/older women and the duck/rabbit.

Where you focus determines what you see first. Sometimes, you only see one until someone points out the other. Usually, you see one quickly while struggling to see the other.

Listening, Understanding, and Relationship-Building

As grandparents, do we have our one way of looking at things? Is it hard for us to listen and see where another may be focusing? Could there be two ways of looking at an issue? May we- for the sake of eternity – be willing to hear, to see their way of looking at it.

Building a strong relationship with our grandchildren is paramount to influencing them. While I am not saying to compromise on issues of truth and godliness, I am saying to listen with the hopes of understanding where they are coming from. Thereby, you can help them to see your side as well. May our FOCUS be on eternity!

Perspective Shapes Influence

Art Metaphor

Additionally, these optical illusions have to do with PERSPECTIVE. It is rooted in form, dimension, distance, space, and scale. Perspective makes art look realistic and lifelike. It helps draw a viewer in, causing them to engage longer, deeper.

Is this not something we desire with our grandchildren? Do we not desire them to engage longer and deeper with us? Do we not want them to do the same with Jesus?

Similar to art, perspective has a purpose. Perspective shows itself in our lives through how we look, perceive, and observe life. It is a sensible outlook on life where you portray how you see something.

We already said we need to see all of life from the focus of eternity. Now we add to that perspective –the lens that colors our experiences, guiding our emotional responses and behaviors. So, what does our perspective need to be?

Developing a Biblical Worldview in Grandparenting

Psalm 86:11 says, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.” As grandparents, we need to be filtering all we are, do, and say through God and His Word. A biblical worldview needs to be the framework through which we interpret the world. By living and speaking God’s truth to our grandchildren, we have the best opportunity to influence them for Him.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” – Philippians 3:12-17

Perspective encompasses our beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that help shape how we interpret situations and events. Philippians 3 is a good passage to use as a model. It should have a profound impact on how we live and handle whatever life throws at us. It should influence our daily interactions and decision-making processes. The right perspective brings hope, strength, and joy. Those are all things we deeply desire for our grandchildren.

Engagement With Grandchildren and Faith

“And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’” – Luke 10:27

The right perspective will shape our understanding of God, ourselves, and the world. Help your grandchildren see your perspective. You seek to love the Lord and others. Show how it has helped you see things more clearly and positively by giving real-life examples from your life.

Remind them that God often sees things very differently than we do. He loves us, sees us, has a purpose, and nothing comes to us unless filtered through His divine sovereign will. God also forgives us. Share how your significance is found in your relationship with Him.

Having the right perspective also leads us to see others as God sees them. We learn how to show compassion, love, and forgiveness not only as receivers of those but givers of those to others. God empowers us to see the divine value in each person, allowing us to approach one another with respect and empathy. As grandparents, we need to model this with consistency and authenticity.

Leaving a Faith Legacy That Lasts

“As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:18

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9

Focusing on heavenly realities rather than earthly concerns becomes a natural outpouring of a right perspective and focus. We prioritize eternal values and things of eternal value. We focus on seeking and building the kingdom of God, knowing that all else will be given. Eternity looms large in our minds. Temporal matters matter less.

As we live our lives in front of our grandchildren, we seek to interpret experiences and interactions with others from an eternal perspective. All the while, we pursue our relationship with God and invite our grandchildren into this amazing spiritual journey called faith.

Eternity is an attribute of God as well as a promise from God to those who believe in Him. We desire for our grandchildren to spend eternity with us. They do that by believing the timeless yet ancient Gospel. We are saved by grace and called to live by grace.  It is the power that shapes all we do, say, and are.

Do you desire to move from being intentional to being influential this year? Reflect on your current focus and framework – is it on eternity and the right perspective? Ask God to empower your commitment this next year to influential living – having a Heart for Eternity! May your life make an indelible impression on your grandchildren.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” – Colossians 3:1-2