The Rise of the Influencer

As a new grandmother I am back in the land of having little ones around me, and wanting them to grow up knowing Jesus and who they are in Him. It has been fun revisiting the songs for kids which were on high rotation when my children were small, and from which I learned so much Scripture. My children grew up listening to Christian artists and it was my prayer that when the world would try and give them negative messages about themselves, that they would allow those lyrics to point them to the truth.

Stephen Curtis Chapman once sang these words, ‘The person in the mirror doesn’t look like the magazine. Oh, but when I look at you it’s clear to me that I can see the fingerprints of God. I know it’s true you’re a masterpiece that all creation quietly applauds and you’re covered with the fingerprints of God.’

There is power in the words we say and the words we sing – and the words we think.

What voices are you listening to? When I was raising my children, I thought I had enough voices to compete with for their attention with movies, television and the growing sounds of the Internet. Now as a grandparent, I can see how these influences have grown and have been further ramped up by the insistent clamour of social media and along with it, the latest phenomenon – the influencer.

It has been predicted that the amount of influence someone wields will be as influential as a qualification once was for securing a job. Influencers are identified as essentially role models who engage regularly with their followers on social media platforms.

Here’s a thought. How different might your view of yourself be if you allowed Jesus to be your influencer? Could you allow Him to be your role model and choose to connect with Him regularly? Imagine the things you would be able to take in as truth if you allowed His thoughts and His words and His purposes to be the greatest influence in your life? You would be radically changed. But how do you get to that place?

In your mind you can accept His word as truth. That’s a great first step. But to let that truth move from your head to your heart – to percolate down, to allow it to seep into your body, soul and spirit, to let it become part of you and transform you – that takes some effort. The lies will still come, and we have to learn what to do with them, whether they’re screamed at us or whispered, softly.