BE AN INFLUENCER!
BE AN INFLUENCER!
For some time now, there has been the emergence of a new job description on social media. It is that of a social media influencer. Basically a social media influencer is one who is very well known in a particular industry (say sports for example) with a great followership on social media and has the ability to affect others choices based on their recommendations on products or services
The Cambridge Dictionary defines the noun “influence” as the power to have an effect on people or things, or a person or thing that is able to do this.
Today I come to say that there are a whole lot of influencers who do not necessarily have a following on social media. Some do not even have social media accounts. But they are making a difference and influencing people for the kingdom of God.
I was recently reminded of the parable of the lost sheep according to Luke 15: 4-7
“If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won’t you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? And when you find it, you will be so glad that you will put it on your shoulder and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, “Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep.” Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over 99 good people who don’t need to.” Luke 15: 4-7 CEV
How many sheep did the Shepherd (God) go and look for when He left 99? Was it a thousand? No! Was it a million? No! He left all those sheep in search of just ONE. Yes that’s right, just one. One solitary sheep that had wandered off is what the Shepherd left 99 others for. That is how important every soul wandering aimlessly and cluelessly around is to God.
Perhaps the area of your influence is just the one person, maybe your spouse, your child, your friend, your sibling, a colleague at work, a nanny in your home or a driver; that one person is so important to Jesus today. That one person is important to God. Jesus died for that person too.
Let us therefore stop beating ourselves over the head because we do not have a million followers today. We must not get upset because we do not get a thousand likes when we put up a post. Those are not the numbers that truly count.
Let us not be sad or down in the dumps if we do not have a platform that 500 people are attending. If all we are influencing today is one person, trust me that one person means a lot to God.
That is not a reason to stop what we are doing. Let us not ever give up on that. We must stop comparing ourselves to others who appear to be doing so much. That is what we see. God sees everything and what He sees is more important than what we are looking at. Keep up with the one or the two or the three people you are influencing positively for the kingdom of God.
God sees you dear mother, with those children, darling wife with your husband, God sees you too. You entrepreneur trying your very best to get your staff on the straight and narrow, God sees you too. My dear brother and friend God sees you working it out with your wife too. School teacher, please do not give up on those children as they come back to school. God sees all you are doing to influence them for His Kingdom. He will help us all. He is pleased, believe me. Let us not give up now.
Our labour of love will not go unrewarded.
BE AN INFLUENCER! GOD SEES YOU!
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS©