Do you have a way to measure your impact? It is very likely that all of our homes have a thermostat. A thermostat measures the impact of either heat or cool. A thermostat is not a power source nor a delivery of power. It measures the impact of power. It sends a signal when impact has been made in accordance with the level set. Without a thermostat there would be no way to regulate the delivery of power nor determine when a desired result has been achieved. The power source would either keep running until it burned out or it would never start. We appreciate the importance of a thermostat for our heating and cooling but somehow we struggle to make use of a thermostat for our lives. With no thermostat, how do you know if you are making a proper impact? Some of us never feel satisfied or successful because we don’t know how to measure impact. Consider what the Bible says. First, Acts 1:8 tells us that God, through the work of the Holy Spirit given to us, is our power source. Then 1 Peter 3:15 tells us how to measure our impact. It says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” Observe how the thermostat works: It begins with our relationships with Christ. Will we honor and revere Christ as Lord, which is to say, will we forfeit control of our lives over to Him? Next, will we submit to a disciplined approach to life that equips us with an ability to articulate why we believe what we believe? Finally, no matter what kind of personalities or past experiences, will we commit to interacting with others with gentleness and respect? The “forfeit – submit – commit” thermostat works every time in giving us a way to measure our impact. This is how we raise the bar on our discipleship.