Monday 31 August 2020

Influencers

 

A man goes to the hairdresser and asks to have a haircut like Tony Curtis. The hairdresser shaves his head totally bald. The man is livid. "This is not like Tony Curtis," he said, "do you even know who Tony Curtis is?"

"Sure," replied the hairdresser, "I have seen him in the King and I three times!"

A few weeks later, when his hair has grown, the same man goes to another hairdresser. He says he wants his hair cut like Gary Cooper; showing him a photo of the actor to make sure.

The hairdresser shaves his head totally bald. The man is livid. "This is not what Garry Cooper looks like!" he cries.

The hairdresser replies, "He would do if he came here for a haircut!"

After a few more weeks, when his hair grew again, the man went to yet another hairdresser. This time he said, "I want you to cut my hair just like yours!"

The hairdresser shaved his head totally bald. The man is livid. "You shaved me bald. This does not look like your hair style!" he cries.

"Yes it is," replies the hairdresser, "but mine has grown since I shaved it!"

*******

In olden days people were influenced by actors or singers they liked and saw in the cinema; or by sports personalities perhaps or other famous people.

These days, it seems, there are influencers everywhere. You don't have to be anything special or have any particular talent to be an influencer. There are influencers all over social media - FB, Twitter, Blogger and so on. Everyone it seems is an influencer. People who have appeared on a TV reality show with no particular talent apart from being a moron are suddenly propelled to public attention and become major influencers to a multitude of similarly brainless followers on social media. If they appear on TV with their backside showing, immediately their mass following would copy them and walk the streets mooning everyone including the moon!

I often watch adverts on TV as a distraction from the boring programs they put on. I am told all these adverts are wasted on me.

"Do you know who that woman in the advert is?" I'm asked.

"No idea ... she looked stupid prancing about like that," I reply. And then I'm told she is a famous personality ... singer ... dancer ... athlete ... or whatever ... and that a lot of people will buy the product because of her in the advert.

I wish I was a great influencer. But sadly I cannot even influence my dogs. We have two dogs called Sit and Stay. Whenever I call them they get really confused and don't know what to do. When I point and say, "Go to bed!" they ask, "Who's Fred?"

You know ... years ago, Jesus was a great influencer. He was a power for good. He did good and preached goodness, peace and love. He still is a great influencer even now. Sadly, not many people care to listen or follow His advice or teachings. Perhaps He should be on social media.

When you think about it ... He could be ... and is ... on social media. Through us. Through whatever we write and say on our FB page, or Twitter or whatever else we have joined. We could be influencers on His behalf. Let our tweets and blogs be what He would want to read.

But not only on social media ... we could be influencers for Christ throughout our lives. Whatever we say or do is often seen by others. Whether we are parents, teachers, lawyers, doctors, car mechanics or whatever ... what we do and how we live is seen by others. They may like how we behave and wish to copy us. When we suffer some misfortune, the way we behave and act may well influence and encourage others in their bad times. When we have good times, our cheerfulness and gratitude may well rub off on others who may emulate our behaviour.

Yes ... I guess we can all be influencers for Jesus. We don't need to be famous to do it.

Now then ... where are those dogs? I need to teach them how to fetch a ball when I throw it. I'm fed up going all the way up the park to get the ball whilst they laugh at me!

29 comments:

  1. ...NEVER go to a barber who is bald!

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  2. We're all influencing someone somewhere...

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    1. Yep ... in real life as well as on our blogs.

      God bless, Linda.

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  3. Love the funny. I laughed out loud.

    I'm not influenced by celebrities. Far from it, but God is another story.

    Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week, Victor.

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    1. Thank you Sandee. So glad you enjoyed the humour.

      God bless.

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  4. Dearest Victor,
    Yes, apart from being a moron; we got plenty of those nowadays!
    Social media is mainly used for self exposure in a very ego centered way; bombarded with selfies! That's for sure no way to influence.
    When I grew up and was made to represent Mom & Dad for attending a reception for the 40th or 50th wedding anniversary of one of Dad's uncles, I got told: 'Represent us well and don't tarnish our family name in any way!' That's what you went for, not for showing yourself, but representing the FAMILY. A far cry from selfies... and me-me-me attention.
    That's also how we all got taught early on as a Christian child. Guess it will stick with us till our death and I'm proud of it.
    As far as styles, I've never ever tried to be someone else. Just being happy with what I got and trying to take good care of that.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Today's selfish society is never satisfied of materialism and greed. It is sad what the world has become.

      God bless, Mariette.

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  5. Love the barbers' scenarios!
    You're so right about the power of marketing -- particularly on the young who idolize celebs and sports 'heros' alike. What's unsettling, how subtly it affects both what we say and do. Even a commercial's background music often has me singing that song for hours!

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    1. I noticed new tricks in our adverts here in the UK to make you notice them, or remember them. One starts silently for the first few seconds making you think you've lost the sound. Another starts in black and white and then changes to colour. Another at the end, the last few seconds, has the sound of a phone ringing. The phone sound has nothing to do with the advert which has singing, like you say. But when you hear the sound you think it is your phone, or cell phone. You realise it is not, yet you notice the advert. I've been caught several times thinking our house phone is ringing.

      God bless, Mevely.

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  6. We cam be positive influencers for Jesus, right here and right now, and that's exactly what we should be doing, Victor. And I do love your humor about the haircuts - just wish I could actually have mine done! Not bald, though - lol!
    Blessings!

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    1. You're right, Martha. Our blogs are our opportunity to be influencers for Christ.

      As for a haircut ... ... ...

      God bless you.

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  7. We'd be surprised to know the people we influence, we have no idea. So behave, be yourself and live life the way Jesus would want you to.

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    1. Very well said, Bill. We influence others without realising it.

      God bless, my friend.

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  8. Very, very good message here Victor. Loved the Tony Curtis and Gary Cooper parts, two of my favorite actors, some people thought my dad resembled Tony Curtis in some ways.

    It's very true, we can represent Christ in our blog writing and also in our behavior, one thing that really grieves me many times are cliques in blogging! I'll go to a page and it's the same dozen of women over and over at one blog, I'll try to reach out to them and usually not much in return. (Like a bunch of magpies) Ugh. To me? That is so un-Christlike since they will know we are Christians by our love, like the song. Oh well, I learned a long time ago... Some people are Christians and some people are just churchies, wanting to be part of something.

    Well Victor, I sure can't say you are cliquish. You reach out to everyone and I do know it's appreciated and the Father must smile. I think your blog is a very good example for the of what Jesus wants us to be in reaching out to others sincerely. Yep, the proof is in the puddin' as we say down south! : )

    Blessings!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Amelia. It's nice to see you visiting here again. Thanx.

      Yes, some bloggers are cliquish and don't welcome newcomers to their group. I like such people. Because they provide me with material for my humourous articles. It's the same with real life, I find. At work or at parties and so on. People are in cliques and they feel superior to others not in the group.

      I find it's the same with me on the bus. When I sit there eating pickled onions and drinking beer people tend to avoid me and not sit near me. Just because I don't drink champagne there's no reason to avoid me!

      Keep smiling, Amelia. And pray for these people; they need it. God bless always.

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    2. Thanks Victor, yes I'm *smiling* at your reply. Did you know that smiling is seriously a good thing for our health? There is something medically good for us in *smiling*.

      Pickled onions? Oh, one time I wrote on my blog I eat raw garlic, I figured it would keep weird stalkers away. lol ...Love your thoughts on cliques. ...Hahaha...So great.

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    3. It's good to smile, Amelia. It keeps us young.

      God bless.

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  9. I think we influence people more in what we do and don't do than what we SAY.
    I like that quote by William J Toms - Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.

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    1. That's a very good quote, Happyone, and so true too.

      God bless you.

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  10. Happyone said what everyone so read sometime.

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  11. Indeed, we are to preach the gospel at all times, using words if needed.

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    1. Words on our blogs ... more permanent.

      God bless, Mimi.

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  12. I think we can often influence others without realising it.

    I like what Karen (Happyone) said.

    All the best Jan

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    1. True indeed, Jan. We influence by example.

      God bless you.

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