I think it’s safe to say that one of the easiest things to do, is to simply follow what everyone else is doing. I believe it’s because at the very core of who we are, we all want to be accepted and feel like we belong with someone. In fact, you can see this in a person from a very young age, and all throughout their adulthood. This wanting to feel like you matter, like someone really cares about you and accepts you, doesn’t just go away with time. If the need remains unmet, it will only progress.
It's like when someone you know, who has really great character, suddenly takes a negative turn character wise, because of the poor relationships and influences in their life. You may not know the full story of how and when things began to change, but without a doubt, you can bet there was a desire to be accepted and a need to belong, that led that person to those particular relationships.
This is one of the many reasons why I love and appreciate the Lord. He understood our need for love and acceptance, so He goes out of His way to show His love and desire for us, before we ever chose to acknowledge or accept Him. He lets us know before we even make an appearance on planet earth, that He values us and wants a relationship with us.
He opened the door for us to follow Him, instead of chasing people for love and acceptance. And by doing this, He also opened up the door for us to be influencers, rather than one who is easily influenced by anything and everything that comes along.
Now please don’t lose me here, I know the word influencer is quite trendy in our culture right now. But I’m not talking about trends and TikTok videos. I’m talking about followers of Jesus Christ, who influence the people in their everyday lives, through the same love, kindness, gentleness, and acceptance, we first received from Him.
Be Who You Are. As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to show people Jesus. When they come into our lives they should encounter love, forgiveness, honesty, humility, gentleness, integrity, peace, joy, and so much more of Who He Is, because we follow Him.
And that doesn’t have to include preaching or quoting scriptures either. It should just be an outflow of who you are. Your everyday actions, your everyday behavior, your everyday choices and disciplines.
What people see in you, often matters a whole lot more than what you say.
Do they see you being quick to forgive when you’ve been hurt? Do they see you using your time to help and serve others, even when you’re tired, even when it costs you? Do they see you lifting up and praising other people, rather than taking every opportunity to highlight yourself and your own successes? What are you showing them? Because if you’ve chosen to be a follower of Jesus, you have a responsibility to show people Him. That is how you become an influencer for Christ.
Say What You Mean. A real influencer doesn’t just say what sounds good and what everyone wants to hear. They say what is true, they say what they mean, and they say it with love and clarity.
It seems right now we’re living in a world filled with double talk because everyone’s afraid of getting cancelled. But you know who wasn’t afraid of getting cancelled, Jesus. Listen to some of the hard truths He had the courage to say:
· “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law---a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:34-37).
What in the world did Jesus mean by this teaching? Doesn’t Jesus not want us to love one another and have healthy relationships?
Of course He does. But what Jesus wants us to remember and adhere to first and foremost, is the greatest commandment of all: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37). In other words, we should have no greater love than our love for Him.
So even if our loved ones don’t serve and honor God, that is not an excuse for us not to. Jesus wants us to decide in our hearts, will our love for people be greater than our love for Him, or will our love for Him take first place in our lives. The truth is, when God is first in our lives and we are living for Him and obeying His commands, we will find that we are better friends, sisters, daughters, moms, grandmothers, and women. Because when you love God first and foremost, He teaches you how to rightly love people with newfound humility and grace.
· Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” …Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt 19:16-24).
Jesus knew that this young man, like so many others, found his identity, his security, and his confidence in his money and possessions. His wealth in many ways had become his god. It’s not necessarily that a rich person can’t go to heaven. It’s that a person who allows anything in their life to be a god, other than the one true living God, cannot go to heaven.
You see, idols aren’t just golden calfs, but money, relationships, status, beauty and so much more can erect itself as an idol, as a false god in your life.
This is why Jesus told him to get rid of all of it, so that it doesn’t have a hold over him anymore. He wanted him to surrender his idol and choose Him. But sadly, the young man couldn’t let go of his earthly wealth and he forfeited eternity with Jesus.
I encourage you to humbly go before God today, and ask Him what has a hold on you, other than Himself. Whatever He shows you, lay it down before Him, completely surrender it, and repent of erecting it as a god in your life. Choose Jesus, He is the only way to eternal life.
· “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matt. 5:27-30).
God not only looks at our actions, but at our heart. If you are even desiring and ruminating on something sinful, it’s the same as if you’ve already committed the sin. You see, it’s one thing for a fleeting thought to come into your mind and you intentionally choose to resist that thought and think on something pure and wholesome; but it’s a whole other thing for a thought to come in to your mind, and you allow it to stay and play it over and over again, allowing the sin to take up residence in your mind and your heart.
For this reason, Jesus calls us to be drastic. You may not gouge out your eye or cut off your hand, but you may leave a job you love to get away from someone who is tempting you to commit adultery. Or you may end a relationship with someone you’re dating that you really care about because you know that when you’re with them, it’s getting harder and harder to resist the temptation to have sex with them.
In other words, Jesus calls us to be very intentional about resisting sin through our actions, our thoughts, and in our hearts.
Why did Jesus say these things?
He said them because He cares more about the whole of a person (spirit, soul, mind, and body), than their immediate feelings and emotions. He also cared more about their eternal future, than He did His own popularity.
It takes courage to be an influencer for Christ. Anyone can influence others on how to make money, how to become a YouTube sensation, or how to have the perfect hair, but it takes a committed follower of Jesus to influence others on how to live for Christ. Like Jesus, be an influencer who cares more about a person’s eternal future, than your own popularity.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).
Initiating new friendships can be awkward.
But the wonderful thing about Jesus is, He already initiated it for us. When He died on the cross for our sins, He swung open the door to friendship for us. All we need to do, is accept His invitation.
Have you accepted Jesus’s invitation? Are you a follower of Jesus, who has committed to following His commands? If so, know that He considers you His friend; and as you grow that friendship, you’ll quickly find that He is a friend greater than any other.
If you haven’t yet accepted that invitation, He awaits you. He longs to have a friendship with you. He paid a high price just for you. And when you are ready to step into that relationship with Him, all you need to do is tell Him so.
Tell Him that you believe He died on the cross for your sins. That you confess you are a sinner, in need of a savior. That you believe He died, rose again, defeated death, and now sits at the right hand of the Father, as the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. He has already initiated the friendship, you just need to accept it, and surrender.
I guarantee you, there’s no greater friendship, than a friendship with Jesus.
Now, let’s go and pursue peace.
I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s blog! I enjoy sharing content that help women live a life they truly love, because I know what it’s like to be living your life, but not loving your life. I know what’s it’s like to pour all of yourself into others, while your passions and your purpose remains unfulfilled.
I wrote my new book, Building Your Life from the Ground Up and Creating a Life You Love, to come alongside the woman who feels like something is missing in her life, who feels like she wants more out of life, but doesn’t even know where to begin to bring about those changes.
If that sounds like you, I invite you to sample my new book, Building Your Life from the Ground Up and Creating a Life You Love. You can find it here:
Comments