The Apostle Paul writes to the Galatians about a time in his life when people of “influence” tried to coax him from doing something other than chase God irresistibly. He writes, … to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me (Galatians 2:5-6 ESV). Some people give so much precedence towards those who are deemed influential, that they become ineffectual to the work, job and people at hand. What I mean is that today, in our society, there is way too much credit and attention going to people who don’t really need it or deserve it. If you don’t believe me, go home and watch any TV channel between the hours of 6 and 8 and you’ll find more variety celebrity gossip news magazines than anything. Not that there is anything wrong about celebrity gossip news magazines; but really, does it and should it take precedence over where our attentions should really be directed? There are people who are neglected because we would rather give these influential people credit while we leave the work tasked to us by God hanging. This is not a battle cry against becoming influential or using influence or entertaining those people who are influential. I mean if you get a chance to meet your favorite rapper of the early 2000s at an all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurant you should do so, but go back to enjoying your meal, where your attention should be at an all you can eat restaurant. What I am trying to impress upon you is this: we have all be tasked to do something in the name of God– good works that should receive our undivided attention, whether that be: caring for our progeny, feeding the hungry, or taking care of the widowed, and those things should not be compromised by people who are deemed as influential. God is not impressed by a person who is deemed influential and neither should we. God is impressed by those of us who chase after Him, irresistibly. That is when we can sleep comfortably at night knowing that we are not living our lives in vain, when our lives have meaning that is not swayed by the opinions of anybody or anything but our own creator. This is the impressive life we all need. Let’s seek after it.
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