The definition of an influencer is “someone who affects or changes the way that other people behave” (Cambridge Dictionary).
You know there are those people who change how you act. The way you speak, the way you dress, your interests and even friends change due to these influencers. It’s amazing how much like sheep we really are,
“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.”
Isaiah 53:6 NLT.
As soon as the “influencer” changes something, we all of a sudden want to change too. I have been guilty of following various influencers! Sometimes, this has even changed my behaviour for the worst.
Even Hollywood influences our desires in life, affecting our body image or how we imagine our life may turn out.
But until we stop and think about who is influencing us, we don’t realise how much the wrong people are.
As a Christian, this can be life changing for us. These influencers can be distracting us from Christ, turning us away and making us a stranger. Instead, let Jesus be the influencer who changes our hearts, our words and our behaviour. Jesus has the power to be able to change the hardest of hearts into the softest of hearts,
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:26 HCSB.
The power Jesus has to change us is mighty! Once we choose to let Jesus be our influencer, our changes will be significant. Day by day as we continue to trust in our Lord, the more we will desire and change to be like Him. Let us talk to Jesus, dwell in His word and trust our lives to Him.
And there is no reason at all why WE couldn’t be the influencer! The more we become like Jesus, the more we will be different. And there is nothing wrong about being different. That is how we influence. That person we helped the other day at the shops or saying no to what everyone else is doing, we will be noticed. This is where our influence can happen. We are called to be the “salt and light” of this world. Let us embrace this role in our community and help influence those who need Jesus.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2 NKJV
Jesus will help us become the influencers He wants us to be. He will give the strength and courage to post that verse on Facebook or Instagram, to say no to a party on the Sabbath or to speak our opinion about a topic.
Let us think about the definition above and consider who we are letting influence us.
I pray that each one of us is turning to Jesus to be our influencer, so we can be spreading His glorious news of love, forgiveness and salvation. I encourage you to dwell on these verses below and ask God to help you turn away from the negative influencers and ultimately turn to Jesus to change you.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8-9 HCSB
“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7 NLT
WRITER: Lauren Paulet, attends Shepparton Seventh Day Adventist Church