Whether we realize it or not, the people around us have a big impact on our daily lives and the choices we make. We often adopt their attitudes and behaviors without even realizing it. There are many factors that influence our decision-making, including our past experiences, cognitive biases, personal values, and belief systems. However, people who we call “influencers” also have a significant impact on our decision-making.
In 2 Timothy 3:5-6, the Bible warns against people who appear to be godly but deny its power. We should avoid such people. So, who are the influencers in your life? Is it your parents, social media profiles, friends, coworkers, or counselors? Are they pointing you towards the Word of God and asking you to make biblically consistent decisions?
God has given us people who can help us when we’re facing difficult decisions, but we need to be cautious because not all advice is helpful. We should seek advice from biblical influencers who can guide us according to Scripture. The Bible is God’s message to His church, and we can find guidance and wisdom for our decision-making in its pages.
Christians have the power to influence others, and Jesus encouraged his disciples to go out and be influencers. We should lead others towards a life of love and obedience to God. However, fewer and fewer Christians have a biblical understanding of Jesus, and we can become too focused on personalities and positions, ignoring blind spots in our discernment.
We all have ideas and beliefs that affect how we relate to others. Wrong ideas can be harmful, and bad theology leads to bad influencers. Good theology, on the other hand, produces good counselors. The difference between good and bad theologians is how biblically grounded they are.
Our goal should always be to seek godly counsel from people who are living in God’s will. The apostles recognized authenticity and had rich discernment. The people who influence our decision-making process will ultimately impact the outcomes.
The Bible warns us about influencers who manipulate and harm others. True influence is a process, and it requires caring and genuine concern for others. We need to be careful and discerning about who we allow to influence us.
When we seek counsel, it’s important that it’s based on the Word of God. We need to study Scripture and seek guidance from people who know it well and live in obedience to it. Everything we need for salvation, life, and godliness can be found in the Bible.
We live in a world with many competing messages, so we must be careful who we listen to. We need to listen wisely and not rely on experiential advice, which often has ulterior motives. It’s important to consider who influences our decision-making and be discerning about the advice we receive.
Debbie Swindell 