MOUNTAINS OF INFLUENCE: MEDIA & EDUCATION

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Matthew 5:13

REFERENCE
Matthew 5:13-16

It is no news that Christians are the salt of the earth; however, salt is not needed unless you have an unsavory meal and a decaying situation. The world’s mountains of influence reek of corruption and decay. To spread your flavor as a Christian, it is your responsibility to salvage every mountain of influence you find yourself. Yesterday, we looked at family and government, and the subtle way the devil has infiltrated these mountains and how we can take back control of both institutions.

Today, let’s examine two other mountains; Media & Education. The values of the media heavily control the values of any society. The contents of the media eventually become popular opinion; it becomes what people believe, whether it is true or fake news. The media wields enormous control over people through its power to shape opinions, form perceptions, and influence decisions. The social media, for example, is saturated with all kinds of toxicity, which has a profound effect on all of us. The question is, “Where are the Christians in all of these? How do we use this tool to serve the purpose of the kingdom?” It will be great for Christians to establish and run media houses that will not only focus on religious programs, but create relevant programs that will address issues in society and shape prevailing cultures.

Education – Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can change the world.” Education shapes the thoughts of our children and gives them a desired paradigm; it determines their world view. The mountain of education in a number of nations is saturated with clueless people; thus, they produce half-baked doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, etc., who flood the market place and endanger lives with substandard services and practices. Also, there are unwholesome values being injected into society through education. Schools in some western countries today now teach about same sex parenting to children. Therefore, Christians must go beyond planting schools to being involved in the Education Board or Ministries of their communities, at the policymaking level, where they can influence curriculum development. I think someone once said, “Give me a child until he is six, and I have him for the rest of his life.”

PHOTO QUOTE

ADDITIONAL STUDY
Psalm 68:11, Proverbs 22:6, & Matthew 13:31-33

PRAYER

Lord, teach me how to saturate the airwaves with Your thoughts, Your will, and Your Word. Show me how to engage at the policy making stage and influence the mountain of Education in Jesus’ name.