Influencers

It's no mystery that every person on the planet to one degree or another influences someone or several people with whom they come in contact. Further, it seems to me all of us would like to be influencers... but therein lies both the responsibility and the potential of great harm.

"The deceitfulness of riches" is one of the major phrases that come to mind if any of us at core seeks influence for financial gain/power and in the process neglects respect for people and for God.

Relationships can be built, grow, truly flourish and be maintained or trashed to crash and burn. It happens for a long and varied list of reasons that can and do affect our relationship to both God and others. The reasons are deep and wide, but that's not the scope of this little bit of writ.

See, if a person's motives are truly self, self and self, their influence can easily be made a weapon to control people's views not only of them but others they despise. As I write these words in 2026 it's quite clear such has become evermore common in the wide world.

God knows my, your, all our motives perfectly -His judgment is equally perfect and "...all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil."

The issue is not that we have a voice but so vast an amount of ways to make our voice heard throughout the earth- more than at any other time in human history. "To whom much is given much shall be required, and to whom much more is given much more will be required." To God, motives are of utmost importance.

Then consider "You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness."

Therefore it's not only the information (be it partly true, mostly true, fully true - all the same re. being false!) but the motive, the attitude, the redemptive vs. "scorched earth" no matter where, what or to whom we give our voice.

These things are never far from my own mind and heart as I'm convinced God Himself cares about it all. Matthew reports Jesus saying "I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter..."

I have made a lifetime of quite intense statements about all sorts of issues and people- and believe me, I have pondered and prayed considering these things for most of that time, repenting often.

Lord have mercy and may we walk in it -as well as passing it on to others with a heart based in His truth and His love as we influence.

And as always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn