Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. (Philippians 2:14-15)
When you hear the word “star,” what comes to mind? For most people, it would be the name of some famous person from the world of entertainment or sports. Perhaps you might think of a name from the world of politics or business. Well, I have a word of unimaginable encouragement for you today: you are a star . . . one of the Savior’s stars!
You don’t need to be a Bible scholar to know that the world we live in is both dark and depraved. When Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, they brought all of creation down into the depths of destruction and despair. But in the midst of their sin and rebellion, they were given a promise: that God would send a Savior who would bring light into this world and make His people to be stars that would shine His light everywhere they went.
So . . . is this the confession of your life today? Are you shining your light into this dark world and pointing the way to the Savior who raised you from death to life?
Notice that Paul told the Philippians that grumbling and arguing shrouds the light God has given His people. Grumbling and arguing are not the marks of a transformed life; they are the remnants of the old, unsaved person that still lives deep within every child of God. They are the marks of the heart that beats for the self, not the Savior.
But this is not for you! You see, the same grace that saved you is the same grace that is currently sanctifying you. God did not save you to leave you where you are; He saved you to form Christ-likeness in you . . . which over time will remove the old nature of grumbling and arguing, replacing it with patience and trust and praise for the providence of God.
To be sure, some providence is painful. But God is with us in that pain, so we ought not to whine, grumble, or complain when it comes our way. We are to receive all providence that comes to us through the loving, nail-scarred hands of our Lord Jesus Christ with the confident assurance that we are getting exactly what we need to be all God is calling us to be.
So . . . are you shining brightly as one of the Savior’s stars? What one thing would you need to change today to shine a bit more brightly? I hope you’ll prayerfully consider your answers to those two questions . . . because, at the end of the day, you never want to be the kind of person that lights up the room when you walk out of it, rather than when you walk into it!
Remember, the “stars” that the world exalts are temporal. But the Savior’s stars are eternal; their light will never go out. May this truth encourage and comfort you today!
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 