New Terminology

A new term arose in the last few years, the word, “influencer.”  Typically, people build a substantial following on social media, which they can then use to market and sell products they endorse.  To do this, the influencer creates content, which both entertains, informs, and persuades followers.  The influencer becomes a valuable commodity for companies that want to connect with their consumers.  Business ranks influencers by their size of audience:  nano (1-10,000 followers), micro (10-100,000), macro (100-500,00), and mega (over 500,000).

In my last post, I used the terminology, ‘having less influence,’ and someone latched on to this phrase to speculate on how and why I lost influence.  What I said was that I had less influence in certain circles (because I’m not around those circles), not that I’ve lost influence.  I took this out of my post, because I didn’t want people to misunderstand.  Overall, believers need to trust God about influence.

God Gives the Increase

I’m reminded of Baruch, the assistant or amanuensis to the prophet Jeremiah, to whom God said in Jeremiah 45:5:

And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.

Scripture shows that believers will influence one way or another, but trust God with the influence.  The Apostle Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 3:7:

So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

God gives the increase.  I’ve heard someone put it this way, and I agree:  “If I take care of the depth of my ministry, God will take care of the breadth of my ministry.”  The breadth is the increase God gives.  He’s the One who gives it.

The right kind of influence will come from God, not from trying to influence.  If a believer obeys scripture, does what God says the way He says to do it, the influence will occur just how God wants it.  Jesus talked about this in His parable of the soils in Matthew 13.  What is the portrayal of influence in that passage:  sowing or planting seed.

Planting Seed:  Scripture

Influence comes from planting seed, which depends on scripture — that’s the seed.  Satan will oppose it, including those reading here and commenting.  They don’t want or like a certain kind of influence.  It ruffles their feathers.  The question, is it scriptural?  Is it true?  That is the depth of the ministry.  Sow the seed.  It’s what Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:  Preach the Word.  The opposite was, itch the ears of your hearers.

When someone sows the seed, which is the truth of scripture, his results will vary depending on the heart condition of those hearing it.  All someone can do is faithfully sow.  That’s what I’ve done and should do.  It occurs on this blog, but I believe more than anything in local influence through the church.  This was the program Jesus started for influence.  It spreads from and through the church mainly through preaching, first preaching the gospel in order to make disciples, which then includes teaching to observe whatsoever Christ commanded (Matthew 28:20).

Taking Heed to Self and Doctrine, Be an Example

I want to depend on God for the influence I have on other people.  It matters how influence occurs, which does include what Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16:

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

When I fail in influence, it’s there.  I don’t take heed to myself, my own example.  In verse 12, Paul commanded, “Be thou an example.”  Bad influence comes from a bad example.  Sometimes, trying to influence itself results in a bad example.  Taking heed to thyself starts with ‘love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.’  And then take heed unto the doctrine.  Make sure the teaching is scriptural.  This includes applying the Bible to everything in life.

I’m fine with the kind and amount of influence I have.  God will allow me exactly what He wants when I submit to what He says.  I’m happy with the church, the craft or instrument through which God influences the world, using its members.  Nothing is more powerful than the Word of God.  It is through that seed that he brings forth fruit that will remain.