Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
Philippians 2:14-15 NLT
Can we agree that the world is full of crooked and perverse people? Will complaining and arguing bring any light? Or will it just muddy the waters further?
How do the children of God live? They live by faith. They live in submission to the Spirit of God.
There is much darkness in this world. You defeat the darkness by not taking the darkness into you and instead shining like the brilliance of the Son.
Our fight is not with this fallen world. The whole world is under the curse of sin. Jesus is the remedy for sin. He became accursed for us so that we could live in freedom from sin.
The devil is trying to distract us from our mission. He is trying to divide people into opposing parties. He wants us to dehumanize those that don’t agree with us so that they can’t be reached with the Gospel. Don’t fall victim to the strategies of the devil. Align yourself with God’s will and do things God’s way.
God’s will is that all people be saved. That means all people need to be reached with the Gospel. How do you build a relational bridge to those outside the faith if you’re putting up fences to keep them out? Love builds up. Love reconciles. Love does what’s best for everyone, especially those of the household of faith.
Follow Christ’s example. Imitate God. He loved us first while we were yet His enemies. The change this world needs is a revolution of the heart. We need to take our faith seriously. We need to fear God with holy reverence. We need to quit living like the world, acting like the world, speaking like the world.
Season your words with salt. Let grace, mercy and forgiveness be part of your daily vocabulary. You don’t need to go for a conversion everytime you meet someone. You do need to be a living sacrifice. God will bring the opportunities. Be ready. Walk in victory. Shine bright for all the world to see.
They’ll notice something is different about you. They’ll inspect the fruit. They will taste and see that the Lord is good. Is the fruit of your life love, joy and peace? Does patience, kindness and goodness follow in your wake? Is faithfulness, gentleness and self-control what distinguish you from this corrupt and perverted generation?
God’s Word is very clear about how we should live and what our priorities should be. His Holy Spirit gives us the power and desire to do what pleases our Father in Heaven.
It’s not about the works. It’s about our hearts. If our hearts are right with God, our works will be evidence of our walk with Him. No one is saved by their works. But you judge a tree by its fruit. What kind of tree are you? Do you bear good fruit or rotten fruit? Rotten trees will be pulled up by the roots and thrown into the eternal fire. Good trees will abide forever and be known as oaks of righteousness. Immovable, unshakeable, bearing fruit continuously season after season. Sink your roots down deep into the love of Christ. Be watered by the invisible but everflowing streams of the Spirit. Grow strong in the light of God’s truth. Bear fruit. Bear much fruit. All for the glory of God.
Father in Heaven, let Your Spirit shine in us and through us. Let us represent You well here as Christ’s ambassadors. Amen.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 NASB2020
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