Let's live our life to try to be a good example and a positive

Hear the voice of Porsha Williams, who speaks not only for herself but for all who desire to live with honor: “Let’s live our life to try to be a good example and a positive influence on someone’s life.” These words shine like a lantern in the night, reminding us that the measure of a life is not in wealth or applause, but in the mark it leaves upon the hearts of others. For the deeds of one person, though small in appearance, can ripple outward like waves across the ocean, shaping destinies unseen.

To be a good example is to live not only for oneself but for the eyes that watch in silence. Children, friends, and strangers alike learn more from what we do than from what we say. A life lived with integrity, courage, and kindness becomes a teaching without words, a living scripture for others to follow. This is no small calling, for it demands consistency and sacrifice. Yet to embody virtue in one’s daily steps is to leave behind a legacy more enduring than monuments of stone.

The ancients understood this truth. In the sayings of Confucius, we are told that the noble man leads not by command but by virtue, becoming a model that others cannot help but imitate. Likewise, in the teachings of Christ, the light of one’s life is meant to shine before others, so that they may see and be uplifted. Thus Williams’ call to live as a positive influence is not new—it is the eternal calling of humanity to one another, that each life might lift and not destroy, heal and not wound.

History, too, offers shining examples. Consider the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She did not seek fame or power, yet by living humbly, serving the poorest with love, she became a beacon to millions. Her quiet acts of mercy were her greatest sermon. She was a positive influence on countless lives, not because she sought recognition, but because she lived her life as an example of compassion. Her story proves that one person, choosing goodness, can change the conscience of the world.

But let us also remember that influence is not always grand. Sometimes it is hidden, quiet, and known only to a few. A teacher who encourages a struggling child, a friend who offers hope in a moment of despair, a neighbor who lends help without being asked—all these are positive influences, though their names may never be sung in history. The greatness of a life is not measured in the size of its stage, but in the depth of its impact.

The lesson for us is clear: live not as though your actions vanish into the void, but as though every step is seen, every word is heard, every choice becomes part of another’s story. For indeed, it is so. We are bound together, threads in a vast tapestry, and the pattern of one thread shapes the whole. To live as a good example is to weave beauty into this fabric, to strengthen the cloth of humanity.

Practical steps flow from this wisdom. Begin each day with the question: Whose life can I brighten today? Choose your words with care, for they carry weight. Let kindness be your habit, integrity your shield, and generosity your banner. Seek not to impress, but to uplift. And when you falter, as all do, rise again with humility, for even in the act of rising you show others how to endure. In this way, your life becomes not just your own, but a gift to all around you.

So remember the counsel of Porsha Williams: “Let’s live our life to try to be a good example and a positive influence on someone’s life.” Take it as your charge and your calling. For the world is filled with voices that harm, but each of us has the power to be a voice that heals. Live so that, when your days are ended, others may say not only that you lived, but that because you lived, their path was brighter, their burden lighter, their hope stronger. This is the true victory of life.