How to really be an Influencer

She told me she was going to be the next Beth Moore.

We were out in somebody’s backyard eating hotdogs. I was toting a kid on one hip. She came bouncing up with a smile and a sparkle and told me standing on platforms and teaching the word and getting people excited about Jesus was right up her alley.

She was going to be downright sensational. She was going to be an influencer.

I managed a weak smile. An influencer? The kid on my hip couldn’t be influenced to go pee and poop in the toilet. Who was I kidding?

My days were spent sitting on the floor of the bathroom. With naked tails streaking through my house. No platforms and show lights for me.

She was cute, bouncy and confident… everything you’d expect in “an influencer.” Everything I’m not.

In an age of slick marketing techniques, smoke and lights, charismatic personalities and money bought results, it’s easy to forget that the greatest among us is the least.

Easy to forget but still true.

Ten years ago she told me her name was going to be a household name; and I haven’t heard from Julie since…

…but I heard from another woman this week saying she had the same plans to be the next Beth Moore (seems a whole lot of folks are in the running for that position). She wrote, “I always dreamed of doing “great” HUGE things for God. I was going to be the next Beth Moore. Oh, how much God has taught me.

“I teach a Bible study at the local Women’s Shelter in my town and God has shown me so, so much. Don’t go looking for fireworks…stick to where He has me. Let the HOLY SPIRIT be seen and let HIM do the WORK. Oh, how good He is!!!!”

Those are sound words for someone who hopes to be an influencer. Stick to where He has you. Let His spirit do the work.

Because the truth is, most of us will most decidedly not have household names… but we can all cultivate faithfulness wherever we’re planted.

And I wish we would all lean in close and get this: We cannot measure spiritual stature by the size of our platform.

Soul, did you hear that? Your position on some ladder is never what determines your spirituality.

I don’t care who’s who and who doesn’t say you’re a who and who says you can’t be in the who club. I don’t care what title you do or don’t have.

Ephesians 4:13 says it plain: stature is measured by Christ’s fullness.

How full of Christ are you?

Some of us need a re-orientation.

The measure of a woman isn’t the size of her platform. Or the number of likes, followers, or invites she gets.

It isn’t what conference she attends and whose shoulders she rubs with or whether everyone wants to sit at her table or not.

It isn’t how she measures up with the ladies in her small group or the moms in her kid’s class or that other woman she wishes she could be like.

Real stature is measured by Christ’s fullness.

So let me ask you: How full of Jesus are you?

Are you rich with the wealth of Christ?

Are you living nourished by the Vine and so full that you’re bearing fruit?

I received an email from someone this week who said, "I believe I'm going to be the next household name!!" And it got me to thinking about what it really means to be "an influencer..."

Truth is, each one of us have been entrusted with a platform already. Priscilla Shirer rightly says, “An audience of friends, family, loved ones, children, coworkers, and public acquaintances are all watching not only to see how we live but to ascertain our attitude as we live it. What kind of woman are you going to be?”

And I’m asking how we’re going to evaluate influence? Success? Importance?

This age old question needs an answer.

Will it be according to the size of a following? How you line up in the pecking order? Or according to the fullness of Christ?

Friend, you are influential. You’re influential every time you model compassion, generosity, wisdom and dignity.

When you smile at the future and demonstrate trust. When you weep over sin and show repentance. When you rejoice with those who rejoice and pray for those in need. When you extend your hand to the poor. When you faithfully serve and draw others to God with your beauty and depth.

In a thousand ways you shine the glory of God.

This is the measure of a woman.

Sister, I’m not sure what platform you’re wishing you had today…but shine on the one you have. In the words of my friend, stick to where He has you. Let the Holy Spirit be seen and let Him do the work.

 

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in Him, and He will act,

making your righteousness shine like the dawn,

your justice like the noonday.

Psalm 37:5-6

 

Go. Live out your full measure in Christ.

 

And a pinnable for us simple moms wanting to shine Jesus ~ be an influencer~ in our homes?

Yes!

 

Similar Posts

39 Comments

  1. You wrote this for me. You see, I know all this. But I want all “that”. My heart & soul have been doing a re-orientation in the past few months because I know I won’t have or accomplish all “that” (if ever! :) )before I live and flourish with satisfaction in all this.

    It is a beautiful thing, this lighting up my small corner of the world.

    Thank you for writing this, dear friend.

  2. GREAT word today!

    I’ve had a bunch of girls tell me that they were going to famous as well! It seems to be a goal for a lot of people.

    Don’t know if all of the TV shows like American Idol and America’s Next Top Model have contributed, but there seems to be a race to be “important’ in our society.

    Thanks for a great reminder to”c ultivate faithfulness wherever we’re planted.”

    Appreciate you and your honest, clear way of expressing truth!
    Blessings,
    Melanie

  3. Oh sis! Proper words don’t even form in my mind to rightly comment, but I must say that this is a word that I must keep in my heart!
    I stopped seeking God for a platform a long time ago! This gives Him room to put me where HE sees fit!
    Thank you a thousand times!!

  4. Yes! Almost every time I speak, someone will slap me with the Beth Moore label. I cringe! Not because I think Beth is bad, but because the world already has as a Beth Moore. There does not need to be two of them. I know those sweet ladies mean well, but I am not called to be BM. I’m called to be Leah, and to serve in the ways that He desires for me to serve…..to lead a Bible study, to teach women how to make homemade biscuits, to write a Bible study, to speak a kind word, to love my Man well, to share what I have with missionaries, to love a college kid. If I am not faithful in the place He has me, with the things He is asking me to be and do, why in the world would I think Jesus would use me for ‘greater’ things. In truth, the ‘greater’ thing is what God has called each of us to do in this season. If we do it, and do it well….that is the greater thing.

  5. A few years back it was Elizabeth Elliot everyone wanted to be like. At least we are aspiring big. But you are so right–we are influencing right where we are and need to be content with what God has given us. To be faithful in the little whether or not God chooses to give us more. Oh, Lord help me to be faithful and content!

  6. POWERFUL!!!!! What a powerful article! I love that we are able to encourage each other across the miles! Oh, how we need the body of Christ! What a beautiful truth written and conveyed in such a powerful way. May we all be a city on a hill for His GLORY! : )

  7. What encouraging words! As I consider the next step, which appears to be starting my own blog, I am seeking the Lord’s will and His wisdom – how does He wish to use me to encourage others? This post was timely for me. Thank you for sharing.

  8. As I read your words, I wonder: Jesus wasn’t very well known, even Pilot didn’t know who he was, yet Jesus could have made sure everyone knew who He was. Think of how many more people He could have influence……funny that was not what God wanted….not sure why we think we know better than Jesus…..
    Thanks so much for making me think…..keep it up!

  9. “The measure of a woman isn’t the size of her platform. Or the number of likes, followers, or invites she gets.” So true. It’s also not measured by whether or not people like what you’ve said from your platform. Audience of one. A good place to start is by asking yourself what your motivation is? Let’s start with why you want to be the next “Beth Moore”. I’m pretty sure that motivation is wrong and rooted in sin. Most big voices I’ve ever heard tell their story don’t start with, I intended to be a big name. They usually start with, as you suggest, being faithful in what God gives them, and content with it too. I’m content, and trying to be faithful, and whoever I influence is who I’m supposed to. . . however I don’t reach, is not for me to begin with.

    1. I love that the Lord has a place for each of us… the prophets and the physicians. Thankful to know you are faithfully serving where you are at Ren. May we each do the same. {{Hugs}}

  10. Thank you so much for sharing this post!! I definitely needed to be reminded of the fact that I can have an influence even with a small platform. I can influence my family, my friends, and the little ones I care for. I can shine bright for Him anywhere and everywhere to anyone.
    Thank you!
    Rebekah
    http://www.moreradiance.com

  11. Great reminder to serve and love right where you are. There will never be another Beth Moore. The best thing you could ever do is honor who God created you to be and be expressly that. Thanks for sharing.

  12. It seems a little like I had this conversation with someone else before, or maybe it was one I had with the Lord. :) I don’t remember. I do remember though, at a prayer group long ago, someone said… “Don’t wish for your neighbor’s success when you don’t know what they went through to get it.”

    When we look at the outward face of some of the most influencial people, we usually only see that…the outward face. We don’t see the struggles that got them there, the losses they had to give up to get there, the things they had to turn down….and they did.
    I remember saying, I don’t need to be that person because they need to be and I just want to be successful being me….filled with Jesus and sharing that, Amen?

    Great reminder to bloom where you are planted and let your fruit hang on the limbs God gave us, Arabah!
    Blessings,
    Dawn

  13. Let the church say Amen! This was a very good reminder of how I should not be pursuing the title, fame, lights, likes, anf followers. I should be pursuing Christ and wanting more of Him and less of me. I need to use where He has me right now to show the love of Christ and for me at the moment it’s in the classroom with high schoolers.

  14. Amen! What a blessing to read this today. I am called to do today and to entrust tomorrow to God. More of Him and less of me is one of my daily prayers. Thank you! And God bless!

  15. My heart is beating so fast because my entire being is rejoicing at your perspective and truth here! THANK YOU, FRIEND!! This is a fantastic post, one that is so needed. I adore you and the wisdom God has given to you. Thank you for sharing it in such poignant and relatable ways. Awesome post!

  16. Dear Teacher,

    You have written a lot of good stuff, but this is my favorite. Thank you for proclaiming the truth . . . that we are to shine the light on Jesus and only Jesus!

  17. What a timely word! I am gonna say, “ouch” like one of your other commentors! I am trying to get my blog started and I do know that God and Christ are my audience, my main audience, but sometimes I get caught up in the numbers. Thanks for brining me back down to earth:) Have a blessed day!

  18. Wow, just Read this and love every word. As someone who is trying to build a platform that I feel God is opening up a door to, this has been a wonderful reminder to stay close to him in it all. Your writing is wonderful. I just found your blog tonight and hope to make it back here. Blessings, Robin

  19. Yes, bloom where you are planted and do so in God’s glory!!!! I have been derailed from nursing into nursing my son with schizophrenia so I have to bloom where I am planted and there is fertile ground everywhere thanks for this word :)

  20. Can I tell you how much I LOVE this post! I think this is something that we all struggle with at some level. We want to do great things for God, but our focus can get a bit off. I can honestly remembering wanting to be the next Joyce Meyer. It was really the impact she was having on others that I wanted. The truth is, we are making an impact. We all have influence at some level. It may not be in masses or on large stages, but I bet if we looked at the ratios of who we know and how we are influencing, the results would be similar. It reminds me of the widow who gave all she had. It may not have been as much as others were giving but for her it was huge! I believe as bloggers, spreading the gospel, we are having an ENORMOUS impact in the kingdom! Thank you for sharing this with us today. I really needed to be reminded of this truth!

  21. This is great, Arabah! Sometimes when I wish I had a greater reach, I catch myself saying, “I’m not Beth Moore. I’m not Kay Arthur.” And then my 17 year old son says, “But you’re you. You reach who God wants you to reach in a totally different way.” Wow. Humbling. It’s all about God–not about me. Like you’ve said before … sharing Christ in this sphere is a trust … a stewardship. My responsibility is to be faithful and faith-filled. <3

  22. This was so well-said. I don’t think any of us should aspire to be like anyone else; our only goal should be to proclaim Christ to whomever the Lord puts in our paths. For some, that path will be in front of a large audience. But for most of us, as you pointed out, that path will be a quiet place where we’re not well-known. The size of our influence doesn’t matter; only our faithfulness in whatever big or little thing the Lord gives us to do matters.

  23. I’ve read this post before but rediscovered it again today. Oh, to be found faithful! We don’t need big platforms, just a servant’s heart. We don’t need fancy lights; just the Light. Thank you for reminding us what truly matters – following hard after Christ!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.