Influencer

Social media is not my thing. It exhausts me.

Sometimes I have this overwhelming feeling that I am not doing enough because I am not posting enough. And like so many, I feel the pressure of not getting enough likes or comments or followers. The enemy lies that worth in ministry responds with follows and likes on social media.

The world has invented an actual job in this. Ministry and secular. Influencer. A certain amount of likes and followers can gain you the title influencer. Influencers are paid sponsorships by likes, comments and when a product is sold from their posts.

Influence was a thing before social media made it into a job. And all of us have it.

in·flu·ence

/ˈinflo͝oəns/

noun

the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself

Not thousands of followers. Not hundreds of likes. Every single one of us, no matter our follower count or the amount of likes we have, is influencing someone or something. And honestly, you are influencing more than one, I can guarantee.

We all have a circle of influence— our home, our church, our friends, our city, our school, our work, our team, even the people we might see one time— way beyond our followers. And the thing about influence is you might never see it but it is there.

The enemy will tell you it is not big enough. The enemy will tell you you are not doing enough, nobody is listening, people are not watching, people do not care. The enemy discourages us so we will put our light under a lampshade. But Jesus tells us to shine our light so that others will see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.

Being an influencer for Jesus is not about glorifying us. It is not about the likes, the responses, the applause, the notice, the followers, the money or the attention. Being an influencer for Jesus is to bring glory to our Father in Heaven. You have influence. Be an influencer for Jesus right where you are.

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lamp stand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew‬ ‭5:14-16‬ ‭