Over the next few months I’m going to do a series of blog posts in this magazine that are centered around the admonition of Christ to His followers (you?) to, “Count the cost.”
I want to be fully up front with you that these blog posts are just as much intended to be instruction to me as well as you. I haven’t attained some high level of righteousness.
If you’re on Instagram (IG) or any other social media or being a human in anyway more than what is characterized as a hermit or recluse, then you’re being an influencer – at least to some extent, whether you realize it or not. AND, if you identify as a Christian then some amount of that influence is representing Christ.
Wrong or right, good or bad, your words and behaviors — and posts are either being used of God to draw others to God’s Spirit or they are being used of Satan to distract, confuse and compromise or as the Bible says, “to steal and kill and destroy”. Yeah, I know, Christ doesn’t candy-coat or beat around the bush. The gospel can be very in your face and quite honestly that’s a good thing.
Hey, we’re obviously not perfect BUT … well let me illustrate this way:
If you do fitness with sloppy form, you’re going to hurt yourself. AND, if you demonstrate the sloppy form to others they will get hurt too.
Travelers and those who plan travel for others to amazing and exotic but dangerous places have in some cases failed to be wise, diligent, and certainly prayerful. The outcome was preventably disastrous.
Gardeners sometimes work hard and go to all the expense of planting, fertilizing, weeding and waiting only to realize they planted bad seeds.
With all their expertise and impressive legacy outdoor “experts” have died by pushing their own understanding and goals and finding the fatal edge of extreme.
All of that sometimes is part of life – it happens!
Christ calls Christians to count the cost. That means slowing down, being continually discipled and accountable and working hard to consistently be prayerful and listening to God’s Spirit as you post on Instagram, open your mouth and do what you do.
Ultimately I believe that God’s not going to let you screw it all up for someone else. BUT – when your IG and everything else you do is “I”n honor of “G”od then God honors you. You can count on that!