The Grace of Influence

“And when they found Him, they said to Him, ‘Everyone is looking for You.’” Mark 1:37

John the Baptist had no social status, no temple pulpit, and no glamorous setting. He was in the wilderness. Yet all Jerusalem and Judea went out to him (Mark 1:5). He didn’t chase crowds; grace drew them. He wasn’t in the centre; he was in alignment.

There’s a kind of influence that doesn’t come from strategy, status, or self-promotion. It comes from being in the place God has assigned, saying what God has told you, and preparing the way for someone greater than yourself. John’s voice carried weight because it echoed God’s voice. He was hidden, but heaven had spotlighted him.

In Mark 1:37, we see the same grace upon Jesus. The disciples’ announcement, “Everyone is looking for you,” comes after he had withdrawn to a desolate place to pray (Mark 1:35). His profound influence flowed directly from that place of obedience and communion, not in spite of his withdrawal. He wasn’t seeking fame; he was carrying something eternal. True influence flows from alignment, not ambition. It’s not about being visible; it’s about being valid before God. When God has placed his hand on your life, even the wilderness can become a platform.

This reveals a critical distinction: visibility is not the same as influence, and activity is not the same as anointing. There are many social butterflies, always visible, always speaking, always busy. This is not to condemn visibility, but to question its source. Is it the flutter of human effort or the steady flow of divine assignment? John the Baptist wasn’t flitting from crowd to crowd. He was planted, not merely popular. He stayed in the wilderness; yet the people left the cities to find him. That is the grace of divine influence. It doesn’t depend on personality, popularity, or public relations. It rests on purpose and preparation.

There’s a difference between being well liked and being weighty in the Spirit. Some are known by many but known by heaven for little. Others are quiet in the eyes of men but thunder in the courts of God. Why does this wilderness influence work? Because it carries the authenticity of God’s authority. It meets a spiritual hunger that hype cannot satisfy. People weren’t drawn to John’s platform but to the undeniable truth he embodied.

Ask yourself: Am I chasing attention or carrying authority? Let’s not mistake charisma for calling or applause for approval. Influence in the Kingdom is not built on crowds but on consecration.

So come out of the noise. Let God shape you in the wilderness. Let your voice be forged in stillness. Because when God breathes on a life, even the wilderness becomes a sanctuary, and even one aligned voice can prepare the way for the Lord.

Kay Alli