Gambit and the Power of Influence

There felt like something was missing from the Gambit devotion earlier this week. We talked about Rémy's personal life (teacher, bodyguard, ex-boyfriend), his suave personality, his thievery, and even the meaning of his superhero name.... Hhmmm.... What could be missing? Oh Yeah:

Gambit is a mutant. He has more abilities than the average Joe. Besides having a dark side (that has yet to reappear) that is Death, he has the ability to "charge" inanimate objects with kinetic energy. This causes them to explode. Wait, how is this practical? Well, how else is he going to cause a distraction enabling him to swag into one of the world's most secure vaults in broad daylight? Check out the distraction he makes with just a toothpick:

And that's not all. His other gift probably comes more from his personality than his mutant ability. LeBeau is a charmer. There is no way that he would have been able make it out of the party the way he did without the help of a mysterious stranger, a mysterious stranger whom he convinced to lie for him in order to help him keep his cover.

At the end of they day, Gambit is a man of influence. By himself he might be alright at hand-to-hand combat, thievery, some tricks, or agility, but his real power comes in with his manipulation of others. It's in his very name, which, by definition is to effect someone else. He trips people up, he remarks to open or redirect conversation, he moves to gain advantage over someone else.

Just think of all the people who have come in contact with him and must have wanted away thinking, "That son of a gun!!" (Or, something like that.)

Not only is he able to cause a charge within an object to make it act unpredictably, he is able to smooth-talk someone else into doing just about the same thing.

We have this power.

We might say we're not good with people or we don't cause things to explode. We aren't suave or even remotely influential. But, the bottom line is: We are.

Peer pressure happens for a reason: Because peers have influence. They have power.

In this same way, we can talk someone into or out of doing something. We each have a very unique voice that needs to be heard. People pay attention when others speak, especially if they speak from the heart.

For the sake of tonight's election debate, we even have influence through our votes.

How many small talks do you think lead to big events? How many tiny pleas became huge consequences? The numbers are uncountable. It only takes a spark to get the fire going.

This ability of influence is very powerful. We cannot afford to neither waste or abuse such a power.

As the Holy Spirit inspires our faith, we can spurn on the faith in each other. We can be the influence that charges someone else up.

But, as the Devil twists our words, we could also corrupt one another. We could fall into the trap of trusting someone we shouldn't or confusing someone innocent.

We need to know timing and regard (like LeBeau) in order to use this power effectively.

And we need to be able to guard ourselves in order to be on watch for those who would attempt to influence us.

It is only through the mercy, grace, love, and forgiveness found in Christ Jesus' death and resurrection that we are even able to begin to attempt such a feat.