Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence. Know him in all your paths, and he will keep your ways straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 CEB

Influencer is a term we hear often these days, and I wondered about its origins, so I googled it, of course. It seems influencers were around as early as the 1700s, but the term was used in reference to sales marketing. It wasn’t until between 2012 and 2015 that the internet had us searching for a job title for bloggers and social media personalities. With this definition as its source, by 2019, the word “influencer” was officially added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

You can’t live on this planet and keep up with news or social media without being touched by an “influencer.” News anchors share their opinions rather than presenting factual news. Celebrities, be they actors, musicians, or athletes, express opinions without filter on all social media platforms. Politicians communicate through social media, sometimes becoming quite brutal. Activist groups use social media to attract crowds wherever there happens to be an event that doesn’t agree with their agendas. Even some religious leaders have been known to overdo the personal influence factor. There is an influencer everywhere we turn.

To be fair, our first encounter with influencers begins at birth when our parents have total control over our lives. Then we add in siblings, extended family, and neighbors.

A few years into our lives, we’re hauled out of the comfort of home and off to school, where teachers quickly assume the influential role. As we progress through primary and intermediate levels, more and more influencers outside of home become dominant in our lives, especially peers. Until high school graduation, family members are still around to offer guidance and advice. But after graduation, life really changes. We must face whatever comes and make our own decisions. The influencers in our lives will impact every single one of those decisions.

If we’re off to college, professors pick up the mantle of influencer, and peers pose countless challenges. If the military is our choice, I don’t think there are too many drill sergeants who will allow us to make our own decisions. If we choose a specialized trade or any job working for someone other than ourselves, our boss will have a major influence on the way we perform, at least on the job. And let’s face it, in one way or another, we all become influencers, but what kind of influence do we project?

If, by this point in your life, you haven’t dressed yourself in the full armor of God and become a close friend of Jesus, you’re likely to find yourself in a heap of trouble. The temptations will come, and decisions will have to be made. If you don’t have a good faith background, you can easily fall prey to any number of scams or simply wrong ideas made popular by influencers.

But it’s never too late, and many of the influencers we encounter throughout our lives are good ones. Jesus was, and is, the most powerful influencer of all time, and He has always accomplished his purpose quietly. He won’t coerce you. He’ll stand outside the door of your heart and wait. It’s your decision to open the door, but once you do, you will have a friend forever. And He will equip you to be a strong influencer yourself, one who by example leads the people surrounding you, literally or virtually, to the real truth that lies within our faith.

So, when you find yourself at a questionable crossroad or prepare to make that next social media post….. Listen to Jesus. Take care to ensure that you are a good and faithful influencer.

Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, this is the way you should go…..Isaiah 30:21 NLT