Are You a Good Influence?
We can all influence other people
by Rachael Crisp (revised, originally published in 2016)
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To encourage us to have a positive influence on those around us.
Preparation and materials
- You will need a selection of toys and a schoolbook.
- Optional: you may wish to have a dictionary available so that you can look up the definition of ‘influence’.
Assembly
- Ask the children to think of things that make them happy or good things that they see around them.
Listen to a range of responses.
If they are struggling to come up with suggestions, you may wish to offer examples such as the people who help them, the kindness that they see around them and the beauty of the world. - Ask the children to think of things that are bad in this world.
Listen to a range of responses.
If they are struggling to come up with suggestions, you may wish to offer examples such as fighting, diseases, war, selfishness and bullying. - Explain that sometimes, we can feel very small because we can’t change some of the things that happen in the world, such as wars. However, there are many things that we can help to change. Each person has the ability to influence other people.
- Explain that the word ‘influence’ can be defined as ‘the power to have an effect on people or things, or a person or thing that is able to do this’.
Optional: alternatively, you may wish to invite a volunteer to look up the word in the dictionary. - Explain that although we can’t influence the whole world, we can influence those around us. We all influence our friends, families, school and community. We all have choices as to whether we are a good or bad influence.
- Christians believe that the Bible teaches that God wants us to use our ability to influence others for good: to encourage, help, support and be kind to others. Every time we talk to someone or do something, it is an opportunity to be an influence for good.
- Ask the children for ideas as to how they can be a good influence today.
Listen to a range of responses. - Show the selection of toys to the children.
Ask the children how they could be a good influence with the toys.
Examples could be that sharing with others could influence other children to do the same thing, or that tidying the toys away at the end of a play session could encourage others to do the same, or it could simply make a parent or teacher very happy! - Put down the toys and then show the schoolbook to the children.
Ask the children how they could be a good influence with the schoolbook.
Explain that treating the book carefully could encourage others to do so, which would help to avoid it becoming damaged or torn. Also, reading a book to a younger family member or friend could help them learn to read, or show them how important learning to read is. - Point out that behaviour such as being disrespectful, shouting out, calling someone names, being rude and being unkind could influence others to follow our example and do the same. This is especially true with younger children, and it means that we are using our influence for bad.
Time for reflection
Each of us has a choice as to how we influence other people. We can choose to use our influence for good or for bad: it is our choice.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for giving us the ability to have an influence on people around us.
Help us to realize that we influence our families, friends, school and neighbours, and the people in our community.
Help us to use our abilities to influence people for good.
Amen.
Song/music
‘When I needed a neighbour’ (Come and Praise, 65), available at: https://youtu.be/B7a7LdgRh-k (1.49 minutes long)
‘A whole new world’ from the film Aladdin, available at: https://youtu.be/atc8RAtl-Ms (2.57 minutes long)
