What does it mean to be a woman of influence? How can you be an influential woman? I have asked myself this question many times, finding the answers often by listening and reading podcasts and books by revered authors like John C. Maxwell and Michael Hyatt. But last week Sunday during a special Mother's Day service at church, I received more insight than I thought possible from Mrs Shola Doodo. It was as though God had sent her to speak to me directly.
Her message was simple yet heavily pregnant with knowledge and riveting questions addressed to the women in the church. The sort of questions which made one squirm uncomfortably in their seats. It was definitely not a prosperity sermon. It wasn't the sort of sermon many Christians are clamouring for in most churches today; " YOU WILL PROSPER !" "AMEN!" " YOU WILL SEE A MILLION DOLLARS BEFORE THE END OF 2016!" "AMEN!" those are the prosperity messages people want to hear nowadays. Her message was the hard-hitting truth message which silenced the congregation with an infrequent squeak of "preach on!" response coming from within the throes of people.
The Influential Woman in These Present Times
That was the title of her sermon.
" What present times are we in? What are we as Christian women allowing our children to watch on TV and what are we exposing ourselves to nowadays on social media? There's no sense of urgency in realising that Jesus is coming soon," she said.
She quoted Scripture to back her sermon; 2 Timothy 3:2-5
“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
I realised how this verse is so true today. It's exactly what we are seeing and hearing of today. It resonates in the kinds of leaders we have, the marriages we get into and in every institution. The young generation coming up are a selfish generation; thinking only of themselves and what profits them and not their neighbours. Are they being influenced by what the existing leaders are doing? Are they being influenced by what we do as influential women?
She went on to define Influence as " the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself "
The points below were what I picked from her sermon and would love for you to have a read and ask yourself if you are being an influential woman in this contemporary age.
" The Influential Woman in this contemporary age is:
a woman of prayer because by praying you can save souls
- She's a woman of courage ( always have a store of courage like Queen Esther who despite knowing she could get killed for going before the king still went ahead and saved millions of her people)
is a woman of fragrance. What aroma are you spreading in society? If you are a celebrity, are you using your influence positively to mentor other women? Or are you causing immorality by your actions? Mary Magdalene was a woman of fragrance " a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. Matthew 26:6-7 ESV.
Is a woman of faithfulness. Be faithful and set the worldly things aside. Going after material possessions will not bring you inner happiness, they are short-lived and always live a gap in the heart. Fill your heart with righteousness.
Exert a faithful servant attitude. If you aren't serving in any capacity ask what relationship you have with God. You are saved to serve. Don't be a church pew warmer. Find how you can serve in God's House and in society.
We become influential by empowering others. We need to build them up. If you aren't empowering women don't tear them down. Too many women tear other women down instead of supporting and encouraging them.
Be a mentor. Having and making time for others to hear someone unburden themselves onto you. Pray that God send someone for you to mentor. What are you doing today which is relevant for eternity? Small group discipleship is the key to growing people in the Lord.
Indeed the congregation was silent. We applauded in quiet as she took her seat. We don't like the truth as Christians sometimes. Especially when we realise it's in reference to our weaknesses. But that is part of our growth and we need to grow to INFLUENCE.