There has been a lot in the news lately about ‘influencers’ – especially those like Andrew Tate whose misogyny has had such a big impact on teenage boys. (See on for a helpful ‘Guardian’ article about this and the impact in schools.)
Influencers in social media
‘Influencers’ come in all guises. One of the most impactful of late is a ten-year-old girl from Kashmir (writing under ‘What Aqsa says’) who at least focuses on the beauty of her part of India, on sport and on health. Another is called Pedro Alvarez from Venezuela who writes about fashion, make-up and comedy. There are plenty of avowedly Christian ‘influencers’, too, such as LA pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts, who also heads up a lifestyle brand, and Jerry Flowers of Redefined TV. Whilst these largely inhabit the social media world, I was delighted last weekend to see someone well known speak out on mainstream TV about his faith, catching his interviewer off guard.
An influencer in sport
I am not sure that England rugby player Maro Itoje would call himself an ‘influencer’ but he speaks up for the greatest influencer of all time who has a following far and away in excess of Tate, et al – Jesus Christ. When Itoje was interviewed at the end of the New Year’s Eve Saracens’ rugby match on ITV by pundit Topsy, he was asked if he was going out to celebrate that evening. Itoje replied quite simply that he was going to church to worship God that evening – to sing His praises. In an interview a couple of years back, Maro Itoje said this: ‘I feel as if everything I have, everything I’ve been given and the position I am in, is as a result of God. He can take it away but fortunately He’s given it to me. It’s about giving all the praise and glory back to Him’. Now there’s an ‘influencer’ worth considering!
If you want to read more about Tate and combating his malign influence, then here’s the ‘Guardian’ article:
AJ Reid Writes 