“God rarely allows a person to see how great a blessing he is to others”. – Oswald Chambers
This is a great mercy to us because the moment we know how admired we are, how useful we are or how much of a gift we are, that smelling thing called pride creeps up.
Paul knew this after an experience which could have made Him proud so he shares,
“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.”
2 Corinthians 12:7
God will rather chasten His children even if it takes a messenger of satan to harass us because He will have none of us fall into that smelling sin called pride that drives us on the high road to hell.
“A river reaches places which its source never knows.” A Christian realises that there is only one Source and in any given area, we are only the channel.
Why then do we refer to ourselves as influencers? Imagine how ridiculous the real influencers will sound if they called themselves influencers? Think of the people the world regards as influencers, maybe looking at the annual list release by ‘The Times’ and imagine if any of them came forward to say, “I’m an influencer.”
The greatest influencer of all time, Jesus Christ, desired to be hidden or not spoken of whenever He did anything worth applauding especially because He knew what was in the heart of man.
Yet, He could not help the fame that came with being Him because a real influencer simply cannot help it.
This trend that grows in our generation where individuals boldly tag themselves ‘influencer’ isn’t as much of a ridiculousness as much as it is an illusion.
Time will do the hard work of testing anyone’s influence.
Regardless, the only lasting influence that can ever be made even if we do not set out to influence is laid out in 1 Corinthians 15:58 where we are encouraged,
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 15:58
…Whatever we do to the glory of God which will be the foundation and sustainability of any influence.