Am I now seeking human approval or God’s approval?

Galatians 1:10

The daughter of a friend of mine has over a million followers on TikTok.

She lip-syncs, and mugs for the camera (she’s gorgeous) and models clothing her sponsors try to sell. It’s not just a hobby. She’s actually making money off this!

The name of her profession? Influencer.

When we talk about “influencers” today, we’re mainly talking about social media. These are folks, mostly younger, who have used TikTok/Youtube/Instagram, etc. to garner millions of followers through their charisma, good looks, fresh takes, and something called “content generation”.

In a 2019 survey by the group Morning Consult, 86% of 13–38-year-olds said they were interested in becoming influencers. 12% said it was at the top of their career choices. (People.com)

Why? Why has it become such a big deal? Are people obsessed with celebrity? Is it rampant narcissism? Or is this a positive revolution, where anybody with a camera finally has a chance to make their voice heard?

In the past, this level of exposure was reserved for the very few. Today, just about anybody can cultivate their own audience. Heck, you probably have some Facebook friends or Instagram followers or even just some folks you hang out with. That makes you an influencer, too.

Paul didn’t post videos, he wrote letters. He used his influence to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here in Galatians, he tells us why: Not for people’s approval, but for God’s. Paul leveraged his influence in service of the Kingdom of God.

I can’t claim to be quite as single-minded as Paul. I post funny memes on Facebook, vacation pictures on Instagram, and even get a little snarky talking politics on Threads. I mean, who doesn’t like the dopamine hit of likes, shares, and subscribers? And if you can make a few bucks modeling clothes, I guess more power to you.

But we can be influencers of faith, both on and offline. The way we choose to present ourselves sends out more ripples into the world than we might even realize. Here are a few examples:

• Ripples of kindness and respect can be contagious.
  
• If a church or a group or a book feeds your soul, sharing about that might help feed others.
  
• When you are vulnerable about your challenges, others may be encouraged to face their own.
  
• If you can radiate joy and hope, even in small ways, others will receive it.
  

I’m sure you get the idea. You don’t need a million followers to be an influencer. You just need to remind yourself that you are not invisible. People are probably not watching you for your taste in clothes,

but they ARE looking at your faith…

and how well you wear it.

Have a great week,

Mitch