(Photo by Julian–0121 on Unsplash)
In this day and age, we are surrounded, if not drowning, in a sea of influencers. Everyone is claiming to know the truth or at least recommend the next best thing. An influencer is defined as someone with a significant following and a strong online presence who can influence their followers’ purchasing decisions and actions by developing brand awareness, trust, and loyalty.
Today’s influencers range from global celebrities to sports figures and everything in between. Can you guess who the original influencer was? We tend to forget that God was the great influencer not only of those times but also still maintains a strong hold on billions of followers today, the latest count being 2.3 billion Christians.
Some of the other key influencers from the Bible included Moses, David, Solomon, the Prophets, the Gospel authors, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, as well as Paul the Apostle and the many saints, including the latest addition, St. Carlo Acuti, patron saint of the internet. Jesus also had His twelve disciples who followed Him everywhere, sharing the message of hope, unity, love, and salvation by influencing and transforming lives for the better.
All these influencers used their platforms to inspire and guide people as they shared insights from their own struggles and triumphs. Just like Jesus, they wanted to heal, teach, and connect with the communities.
God is the number one influencer, and we are all called to be His influencers and spread His word and vision by being honest, generous, inspiring, and encouraging to others.
Today we can benefit from reading the Bible as a guide and a compass for finding direction in our lives, as well as being an example to others by embracing generosity and honesty with our words and actions and offering unconditional love. By living and walking with Christ, we can powerfully influence others and demonstrate our faith through our daily conduct.
We can all grow spiritually from hearing God’s message, a message that most people probably don’t even realize they need. It’s like “living water to a parched soul.” (John 14:11-13). This metaphor describes the spiritual nourishment that Jesus Christ offers to those who are spiritually dehydrated and feeling empty. We are invited to receive God’s grace, mercy, and hope, which can quench the thirst of our deepest soul’s needs.
As Denzel Washington says, “I don’t follow anybody. I follow the Lord. I have faith in God.”
Let God be your influencer.
Antoinette Giacobbe, M.A.
