Well, I can't say who are your top ten, so I guess I'll just list mine.

(Okay, this is not like People magazine's ...Person of the Year, but my people of a lifetime.)

Top Ten

1. God ---Three in One, what more could you ask for?
2. Spouse ---if married, better mention her first ...and the two become one, so you are mentioning yourself also, without having to make it look like you put yourself higher on the list. (Honestly, when you marry, you may have first impressions, your own thoughts, and even think your arguments should be heard first ...but, aside from opinions, the fact is your wife and children come first.) Speaking of children:
3. S ------
4. L ---
5. J-----
6. S-----
7. D----
8. My parents ---the two become one, and they have shown that to us children.  And I am so grateful for all they've been to me, having shared their love & done their best to raise me.
9. My wife's Dad ---since I value her, it also stands to reason that I'd think well of the two who've been there for her. Her Mom died of cancer a few years before I met my wife ...but she lives on in loving memory.
10. All others ---Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these."

(But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”)

The Samaritan was someone whom he'd never met, nor probably never would have ...but, Jesus made it clear that our neighbor is whomever we come across or come in contact with, even visualizing at a distance.  So, it seems clear that this is everyone ...all others.

John 4:7-10, reads ...Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one & only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us & sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Does this verse imply that if we don't know God, then we cannot love?  It certainly does say that whoever does not love, does not know God ...saying love can't be absent if we know God in that personal way, of accepting Him.  But, is it saying that love is absent if we don't know God?  

Making an aside point, we all realize that none of us are always in peak performance of loving words or deeds ...irregardless whether we embrace God's love, or not.  We all have our failing moments.

We also read that everyone who loves ...has been born of God. Does this mean born as we are all born ...because if it does mean this, I would wonder why it was necessary to even mention it.  It would appear to perhaps mean 'born again'.  But, would that then imply that since everyone who loves has been 'born again', what of those who are not 'born again'?

Can anyone who does not know God at all ...show love?

We could also say none of us can understand the fullness of God, and since God is love ...we cannot have the fullness of love.  So, we all can grasp and embrace portions of love ...but, the portion we attempt to express has been through the extent that we experience it, whether through experiencing the love others show, or experiencing what God has instilled in us through knowing more and more about Him.

If someone tells my wife about a good restaurant ...she can ask questions about it, but she will likely not recommend it until she goes there herself and experiences it. If someone is interested in my Hometown, I can tell them about it, but if they are really interested ...they may want to go there, and perhaps visit places and talk with people.

A dad had read many books on how to build a birch bark canoe.  His teenage son was interested, and after watching Dad for just a short while, wanted to build his own. It was a fabulous experience ...and one of adventure, as they went to the river to set out in their canoes.  The dad's held together, but the son's did not.  They both ended up in Dad's canoe, and had a great time.

Many people either enthusiastically try to do it alone ...thinking they can do just as well.  Or they try to discount what someone else is doing.  Many arguments against the Bible have been floated ...but they don't hold water (or they take on water, and sink).

Our oldest daughter went to school to become a medical assistant, and she has worked several years in a Doctor's office. She has continued school and has done internships at some really good hospitals, and will soon become a registered nurse. She is smart, but that does not lessen the fact of how hard she works.

To learn, you can study and get experience.  To get the best learning and the best experience, you often want to go to the best.  To know about love, we can all go to the Bible to read about He who is love.  Wouldn't that help you in being more qualified?  And to talk with others in the field ...other believers.

So, to begin a list of the most influential people ...God is first.

Yet, where else do we search to enhance our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness?

Our life ...or the life of others?  Whose life is enhanced with the decision of abortion ...certainly not the child's.

Liberty enables us to be free ...but free to do whatever we want? Is that good?

And happiness ...it may seem shallow to view it as two teams playing in the Superbowl, and one team's victory is the other team's defeat.  In life, it may be often like that, but it's much more important.  

As the concept often applies in everyday life, it is not just competition to see who's best ...it's everyone doing their best. And we should be happy for the achievement of others. We can't make everyone happy, nor should we ...but we should at least consider the principle of "do unto others as you'd have them do unto you."

Can you see the common thread in the following two statements?

"Why can't I be happy?"

"Don't I have the right to be happy?"

It's the word 'I' ...and it is the thread of self interest.

The were many arranged marriages among groups of well-meaning people ...and we see in the Bible that Isaac & Rebekah's marriage was arranged ...and there was some protocol involved in the choice of Jacob's first wife, howbeit deception was also involved. And David's first wife was through a sort of awkward arrangement.

We look at Mary and Joseph also ...but we don't see precisely how that was arranged.  Yet, overall the Bible does not give a precise standard for marriage, other than it is between a man and a woman, and should be viewed as an institution of God. 

Speaking of arranged marriages, when I was young there was talk of shotgun weddings.  The one behind the shotgun might have appeared more deranged ...than interested in arranging, but it did have an impact.  When a pregnancy was involved, the girl's father was certain not to have his daughter hurt. At the end of the shotgun, a statement was to be forthcoming ...if it was rape, then the gun would escort him to jail if it happened not to misfire.  If the young man wanted to claim that the pregnancy came about as a result of friendship, then a wedding would be expected.  Meanwhile, since a child was conceived through a happy friendship, it was made known the shotgun would remained loaded to make sure she continued to be happy. And in no uncertain terms, that was made very clear.

Whether arranged by yourself, or arranged by others ...there does seem to be an arrangement.  And that arrangement seems to be better placed when God is considered to be personally involved in each person's life.

Some people feel it is better to 'truly' fall in love before marriage ...yet, 'truly' is a variable term and the idea of a 'soul-mate' brings much falsehood along with it.  And often the mating aspect of it provides a change of heart in a different season.

• Perhaps some people view God differently, and think He tires of us also ...but, His love endures forever.  If our relationship with God is not what it used to be ...two things immediately come to mind.  

1. If we take God for granted, and lose some of the excitement of our relationship with Him ...we may not admit it, but we have put other things before Him.
2. It may be He desires for us to grow.  Any parent who has children should understand this, even if you missed it when you were a child, having the roles reversed sometimes brings things to light.

• As it is with many things, we often take our marriage for granted also. And often when we take things for granted, our expectations grow ...but we don't.  If we don't mature ...we often grow weary, and not only stray down other paths, but somehow convince ourselves that the new path is good.

John F. Kennedy is known to have said, "Ask not, what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country."  

And taking that wisdom, I think it fair to say, "Ask not what your spouse can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your spouse."  And if each would think that way, then they would not endlessly attempt to do things for each other, to outdo the other ...they would just rest contently in each others arms, and expect little more than each other's love.