Country music has been in my family for a very long time. My grandparents wrote songs, cut records, and played on the Louisiana Hayride with Elvis back in the day. They influenced me to pursue singing country music in the early ‘90s. I cut two albums, played several township festivals, and went to Nashville once when I was invited by Charlie Daniels to be on his TV show. We have all been influenced in positive ways.
Jesus calls us to do just that. He wants us to go into the world and make disciples, loving on those around us like He loved us (John 13:34-35). And God showed us how to love close up and personal. He didn’t love us from a distance but came to earth and “moved into our neighborhood” (John 1 MSG).
Jesus also called everyone to an inclusive table. His Kingdom is not exclusive but anyone who will, can follow him. They are invited to the celebration feast. In Luke 14, Jesus is invited to a well-known church leader’s house for a party. Once Jesus is inside and looks around, he notices all the big names in town are present but there is no one there who isn’t popular or has a lot of money.
Jesus looks around and tells a story to the host of the party, reminding the host of what God is looking for in his followers. So in the story, the host invites everyone in town and everyone out in the countryside. The party becomes inclusive rather than exclusive. If you want to be an influencer for the Kingdom, you can’t pick and choose who you tell about Jesus or who you invite to the celebration. So being an influencer brings 2-3 things to mind.
One, being an influencer means being fully present. In other words, put down you phone and loosen up your calendar. You’ll be intentional with the folks around you and engage the people right in front of you. But to do that, you’ll need to be intentional and go into every day with your eyes wide open.
Secondly, being an influencer means loving uninvited and overlooked people. It means no matter the socioeconomic background, your skin color, your bank account, your political preference, or your theological bent, you love people for the cause of Christ. The people you might not normally pay attention to or you avoid are now on your radar.
Finally, being an influencer means going to unfamiliar and uncomfortable places. It’s hard to have a story to share when you decide to live inside your small, comfortable bubble. Jesus calls us to go far and wide to share our lives with others who need to know Jesus.
So, become an influencer for Jesus by stepping out. Remember we’ve been called to tell the greatest story ever. So many feel no value or purpose and we know Jesus can and will change all of that. You know what to do. Be an influencer. Lean into those right in front of you. Blessings on the journey.