Debunking the "influencer" framework.
Why are some people considered an "influencer" when they choose to use their voice? What does that mean for you or others who don't fall into that category? This post breaks down why this framework is harmful and inconsistent with our identity as Children of God.
I noticed that when I started to speak out and share the things God has taught me, people started saying I was an "influencer" now.
It was so strange to me.
The thing is, the very premise of this framework proposes that only some people have influence when they speak.
That ideology is simply unbiblical at its core.
We are all created in the image of God. We all have a sphere of influence. God teaches all of us things. We all have a voice.
The Bible says that the power of life and death is in the tongue. It speaks about the impact of our words, however few.
Matthew 21:16 "They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”"
Luke 19:40 "He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”"
None of those passages are directed towards a select few "influencers." He can use babies and He can use rocks, if you refuse to speak.
The question is not whether you are called to be an "influencer." It is whether you are willing to give God the glory for what He has done in your life and put your insecurities, pride, or shame aside to do so.
It is true that not all are called to teach or preach.
But that does not limit your voice or your ability to speak.
This paradigm is built to idolize some while silencing others. It contradicts the very nature of the above passages, and every person's inherent value.
This is a demonic idea that has lodged itself in modern day peoples' minds.
If we focus on what others are "influencing" us to think, we don't need to think for ourselves. If we consider others as "influencers," we don't need to consider our own influence that God has given to us.
The mindset places us in a lower position while focusing too highly on others.
Has God gifted prophets, teachers, evangelists, and preachers? Yes.
Is everyone called to have a "platform"? No.
But we've developed wrong thinking in believing that in order to have a voice, you must have a platform.
It should be normal for Children of God to speak when He is calling you to.
It should also be normal to remain silent when He is calling you to.
But to magnify the weight of someone's words by calling them an "influencer" is to diminish the value of your own words or the words of others, based on whether they fall into this category or not.