“Who are your influencers?” was a question that someone asked a few of us as we were spending time together one evening. She expanded, “What podcasts are you listening to; what shows are you watching?”
In our current society, many young people want to grow up to be “influencers,” that is people with a podcast or YouTube channel who have an enormous following. There is a possibility in our day that has never existed before: what someone does or says can be seen by millions of people.
God’s Word says, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20) and “Bad company ruins good morals” (I Corinthians 15:33).
When I read these verses, I never think the part about “the companion of fools” applies to me. I don’t hang around with fools, or “bad company.” But the other day I read something – another verse that I would normally just pass over as I figure it does not apply to me at all. In this part of Psalm 50, God is talking to “the wicked” and says, “If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers” (Psalm 50:18). Something in the verse hit me. What came to mind were the many shows and movies where today’s morality (which is not God’s morality) is the backdrop on which the story takes place. The story might have some truth, it might make a good point, it might show the sacrificial loyalty between friends, but the characters more often than not are living in ways that are contrary to God’s ways. And we are being entertained by these shows, movies, etc.
One might say, “Yes, but I can watch this show and not be influenced to behave in that way – this show has some good in it.” I am suggesting that when we watch such a show we are”keeping company with” those who are behaving contrary to God’s ways.
I am not saying that in real life we shun people who are not behaving in God-pleasing ways. Not at all! In real life we are called to love people, to be a light to people. But being entertained by fictional stories where that behaviour is taken for granted, where it is portrayed as the norm, is another thing. In those instances, we aren’t loving anyone or being a light to anyone – we are simply passively being entertained. And over time, being desensitised. Not the same thing.
God’s Word always makes me think. It makes me evaluate. And the question, “Who are your .influencers?” also made me think. I read God’s Word first thing every morning. I talk to Him, I seek to listen to Him. Sometimes when I am going about my day, God comes to me with conviction about something. I would say that He is my main influencer. But I want to be careful that other influencers in my life are positive, influencing me in the right direction.
So…who are your influencers?
