Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:12] Speaker B: So this is after the episode. This is a new little segment because we can't say everything we want within time constraint. That is, we feel comfortable for everyone to listen to. And so we're calling this little new thing we're going to call Jonathan's Leftover. So a little bit of extra stuff that we wanted to talk about on the previous episode, which was understanding who's influencing our life and why. So this is what happens usually after the show or during the week. Me and Jason just have a conversation and. And we were talking about here after the show. What we wanted to put into the show is fear. Fear is a worldly way of driving influence, and that is the opposite of how God and his kingdom operate with influence. So, Jason, you were saying something, and I just hit. Started hitting her record.
[00:00:58] Speaker A: Yeah. So it's the fear wave. Right. People motivate you to do something based on the fear wave. And, you know, everybody has those fears because we have those gaps that say, hey, I want to be loved. I want to be a part of this. Unlike other animals, we're not an animal. Let's start with that. Like, I got how biology buckets us, but we. We want that social belonging and.
And to do that, there's that fear wave of going, well, nobody's going to like you. Nobody's going to like you. And being a Christian is tough, but that's not. That's not how God works. God says, come into my kingdom. And I thought about that with influence. Is the influence you're receiving fear? Or is it the opposite of it? Is it. Is it Jesus Christ going, hey, this is where. This is where you need to be. Right.
[00:01:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:01:50] Speaker A: Thought about that.
Man, I hope you can edit because.
[00:01:54] Speaker B: No, I can. And, you know, don't worry about it. Like, I think that this is good for people to see, like, how some of the sausage you made and some of the thoughts.
[00:02:01] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:02] Speaker B: Because here's. Here's the thing. Influence is a big factor of life, and this is why we want to do such an episode on it is that.
And I love something about, like, that you've said in the past, like, with our children. And I think a lot of people, no one wakes up and says they want to screw up their life, much less someone else's life.
[00:02:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:21] Speaker B: But when you introduce in things like smartphones right into the hierarchy of parenting in the 21st century, you have unwittingly opened up the entire planet to be an influence in your house.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:37] Speaker B: And if you're not arming yourself and we. We Talked about this in the main episode for a little bit about guarding yourself. That is such a central theme in the Bible is offense and defense.
And maybe that's just my military mind, but that is, I can break a lot of things and concepts down to offensive defense. Are you taking it to the enemy or are you taking a pause, defending to go back on the attack? Yeah, and limiting negative influences. You know, you just as much as you wouldn't let your, your child go and play with necessarily a drug dealer, like at their house. Okay, well, why would you then let someone who, you don't know their psychological state, you don't know their background tell you that the latest trend, the latest way to dress, the latest way to talk is the best thing?
[00:03:27] Speaker A: That's a good point. You know, I had this discussion with my youngest a while back when, you know, different things would come on or whatever. And I, I'm like, nope, we're not going to do that. And he's like, dad, that's tv. You know, he's always got a justification because that's the little operator. And he goes, I said, look, son, would I let you play with somebody like that? If somebody come in this house and they talk just like that, or they said the things like that, what do you think I'd ask him to do? He goes, you'd ask him to leave? I said, well, that's what I'm doing right now, except it's with a click of a button.
And so you as a parent, you know, that's, that's the influence. Like you.
Unlike when we were kids. Let's think about that, right? Like we had our friends, then he went home from school, okay? And so there's this kind of isolation time until you went out to play or so forth. But TV was kind of regulated, right? Like it only, it only came on at certain times, and it only came on once a week or whatever, Whatever show was no binge watching. Radio was am, fm, you know, it either caught the song or you didn't. Whatever. You had a cassette tape, something like that. But you created technology, didn't have the ability to be continuous, right?
[00:04:40] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:04:40] Speaker A: You had intermittent pauses of reset. Yes. Now, because it is continuous, you know, they're selling things like you need to take five minutes of quiet time, you know, mindful meditation.
[00:04:52] Speaker B: Like the whole industry around slowing down and being mindful and thinking, right?
[00:04:58] Speaker A: So not only is, not only do we have the influence from the adversary of everybody wanting to be. Oh, if I say this smartellic comment, I become popular. I Get a laugh. Which is a social sucker punch to someone else. But you also, during those quiet mindful times, they're not telling you to fill it with anything positive.
[00:05:21] Speaker B: No.
[00:05:21] Speaker A: They're just telling you to. Let's pause for a moment. Let's just pause. Yeah, you need that too. But you also, you also have this onslaught of negativity that you have to put in something positive.
[00:05:34] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. There's no vacuum where nothing's happening. You, you are constantly. And again, this goes to the point of you have an adversary out there and he will take things that look good. He is the angel light. As much as the world keeps trying to paint him out as this boogeyman monster, well, if that was the boogeyman monster coming down your driveway to knock on your door, you're going to run away.
[00:05:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:05:59] Speaker B: But when it comes down the way and it looks like something attractive, it's a pretty face. Or it's the enticement of you can get quick rich, or it's just do this, you'll be more happy. And you find yourself chasing constantly this pursuit of the next thing that someone else is telling you is going to fill that void. No. Jesus tells us that he is the water that quenches all thirst. And I'm paraphrasing, He is the bread of life. He is the sustainer of life. And in him we find this thing that everyone is trying to influence you toward, which is a purpose.
[00:06:34] Speaker A: I, Philippians 4, 8. I had to look it up. That's, that's, you know, if anybody watches, that's what I'm doing.
[00:06:40] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:06:40] Speaker A: It says, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatever. So everythings are honest, just pure, lovely and good. That's what you need to think of. Think on the things that are of virtue. Right.
And, and Satan, who is the prince of this world, you know, the prince of light, the prince of the air, man, those things might not look attractive, but I'm also going to tell you it's like milk. Milk may not look attractive in that glass, but you need it. Yeah, right. It's, it's, it's like a healthy diet.
[00:07:13] Speaker B: Yes, sir.
[00:07:14] Speaker A: You got to have it if you want to be strong. And if you're in a battle, you want to be strong.
[00:07:17] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:19] Speaker A: You got to have it.
[00:07:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:21] Speaker A: Now, I think a lot of times we influence people in that. Well, you're not going to be then the cool kid club if you don't do this. Someone's trying to sell you something. We buy more stuff than I've ever seen in my Life, Right?
[00:07:34] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:35] Speaker A: And, and it's, it's all these fads trying to fill this hole that really is a God shaped Viking.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: Yes, yes, absolutely. And if you're not arming yourself. And again, we'll wrap this up. And this is kind of how Jonathan Leftovers are going to go. It's going to be a short, maybe about 10 minute segment, which we're about that. It's just to let you guys know some extra things that know we couldn't cover on the podcast and to reaffirm you that, you know this particular topic, you know, that we're talking about here in this little segment, Influence. It really starts and ends with how are you being influenced? And, and we said this in the main episode. I really want you to take some time and think about who's influencing you and what things are influencing you. Right? Like what sites, what shows, what, you know, way that you spend your money. All those things play into this thing called influence. And so if you're not being conscious and intentional, as our Lord and savior were, you lose the ability to influence the world and then you become influenced and you lose that salt that Jason talked about in the main, main episode. So it's kind of my thoughts. Jason here for Jonathan's Leftovers. Our first go at this. I love it. I think it's something more content to give all you great folks out there listening. This will be on all the platforms as well. Will drop this probably on Wednesdays after the main episode to give you something to kind of reflect back on. But in any case, we're continuing to try to find ways to give you guys great context. So thanks, Jason, for taking a little extra time to. To give folks a little bit more on the plate.
[00:09:06] Speaker A: Yeah. For the first Jonathan Leftovers as we're figuring this plane out in flight.
[00:09:12] Speaker B: That's right. I love it. Nothing like being on the spot. All right, folks, we will see you again next week. Take care. God bless. We love you and take care.
[00:09:21] Speaker A: See ya.
