An “influencer” is one who has the power to move; in persuading or dissuading; one who leads or directs. I know this may sound foolish, but I just recently have found out what an “influencer” is according to our social media culture today. Honestly, I was not impressed. I found it to be a sad cultural norm. However not in the sense you may think. I did not find it sad that people in this day and age do the same thing they have been doing for centuries (just by a different name), but rather we have “Christian Influencer” that trying to “influence” others for Christ by doing it the same way the world does it. They use the world’s music, they use the world’s lingo, they use the world’s method of delivery to do what exactly? “Influence” others to be “modest but trendy”, to be “Christian in style”, to “makeup like Jezebel without acting like Jezebel”? Ok, I made that last one up, but it did get me thinking. As Christians, we are supposed to influence people, we are supposed to point people to Christ, right? So, what is your influence? Are you a Biblical “Influencer”?

Paul tells the young preacher Timothy something that I believe can be applied to all Christian believers today, “These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 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.” I Timothy 4:11-16

Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity…in doing so thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. We are to be “influencers” but not as the world influences but as the Bible influences. Are you influencing as Christ would influence? Are you setting an example of the believer, the new creature in Christ, that has put off the old man with his deeds? Are you influencing in SELF or are you influencing in CHRIST?

Not only is it important to be an influencer based on the Bible, but it is important that you are influencing the people you should be influencing by order of importance. Your home is your first place of influence.  

Are you Biblically influencing your home? As ladies, we all have many different avenues to which we can influence in our homes. Are you Biblically influencing your husband? Husbands need a wife who is influential in gaining her husband’s trust. Proverbs 31:11 states, “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” Are you Biblically influencing your children? Children need a strong godly mother influencing them in Christ. Proverbs tells children to “…forsake not the law of thy mother:” on several occasions. Do they see their mother praying? Do they see their mother reading the Bible? Do they see their mother not just going through the motions but living Christ in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity? “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” Or do they see their mother on their phone all the time taking selfies? Do they see their mother demanding perfection for a photo? Do they see their mother one way at home and another way in public? What laws are you setting forth for your children to follow? Is it the Book of the Law? (Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”) Maybe you are reading this, and you do not have children or a husband. Are you Biblically influencing others in your home: your parents, your siblings, and/or roommates? All of these people in your life can be encouraged and influenced by your testimony. Just the other day my eldest daughter was praying with a friend on the phone. I was encouraged and influenced by her testimony. My heart grew ten sizes, and I was extremely humbled in that same moment. I told my husband that I wish I was like that at 18. Are you too busy trying to gain followers rather than influencing those in your own home? Are you Biblically influencing your home?

Are you a Biblical influence to your church? Local churches need Christian ladies that want to be Biblical “influencers” at their church. Churches need nursery worker, Sunday school teachers, encouragers, prayer warriors, soul winners, disciplers, gossip stoppers…I think you get the idea. The Bible specifically talks about the older woman influencing the younger. Titus 2:3-5 states, “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Are you influencing young ladies to be discreet (wise in selecting the best means to accomplish a purpose; circumspect; cautious; wary; not rash)? Are you influencing them to be chaste (pure; genuine; uncorrupt; free from barbarous words and phrases, and from quaint, affected, extravagant expressions)? Are you influencing them in charity? Are you influencing them in purity? Are you influencing them to be keepers at home or are you influencing them to be keepers of Facebook or Instagram? Let us raise the next generation in the best book of all, the Bible. Are you Biblically influencing those around you? Are you Biblically influencing your church?

Are you Biblically influencing your town/city? Passing out trats is one the the most important things you can do, but there better be a testimony behind that tract because they are watching you. I was in another city helping with a ladies’ conference. I went to Olive Garden with some other ladies and left a nice tip with that local church’s tract. As I was leaving our witness chased me down and said she was so grateful for the tip. She also stated that typically when the people from “your church” eat here they complain the most and rarely tip. I’ll say that has made me a little more cautious to leave a tract from a local church when dining out. What kind of influence do you have in your town/city? Are you giving your church a good testimony? Are you not just sharing the Gospel, but living it too? Would your neighbors know you are a Christian if you never told them? Would the Lord say, “I know thy works…nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee”? Are you Biblically influencing your tow/city?

Lastly, are you a Biblical influence to the uttermost parts of the earth? Do you spend as much time or more promoting missions as you do yourself on social media? I understand that we cannot go everywhere; I also understand that Facebook, Instagram, etc. are excellent ways to reach the world for Christ. However, if your feed is not doing that, what is it doing? I personally would rather spend my time helping a missionary than spend my time making a post about my style for the month. Maybe you have lost sight of priorities. Are you spending too much time influencing the world that you have forgotten about your home? Think of all the joy you could have if you chose to be a Biblical “Influencer” for Christ. Let’s just get back to that blessed old Book and start raising a generation of Biblical Christ-like “influencer” in our homes first and then across the world.