You Are a Gift: And Gifts Are Meant to Be GivenSample

We've been talking about Jesus as our example of living for others; how every day is another mercy from God to live for Him. We've talked about doing good and fanning our gifts into flame. All of this has been about being good stewards of all that God has given us to bless others.

Today we want to look at how all of our doing and serving and hoping serve as beacons pointing others to Jesus.

Light of the World

In the new series about the lives of the Disciples, The Chosen, Jesus tells Nicodemus that the eye is drawn to light; “it can’t help it.”

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. —Philippians 2:14-16 [emphasis added]

"Lights," here, is the word luminary or star; "world" is cosmos, indicating the universe rather than just this planet.

Stars give light. Their orientation in the sky tells us of seasons. Their position helps ships navigate when no land is visible. Since ancient times, constellations have been the protagonists in countless stories. When the sun is in our sky, it outshines and hides the stars. But when it is down, the stars stand out clearly against the darkness and our eyes are drawn to them.

Sometimes, the sole purpose of the stars is to give hope that even in darkness, the greater light is coming with the dawn. They remind us that there is One whose light eclipses all the others and it is to Him that they point.

That is who we are: Lights shining in the darkness…

Direction-giving,
Message-sharing,
Calling-oriented
Stars

Reflection

Who sees your light and is drawn to it?

How can you light the way to The Way for those who are drawn to your light in this present darkness?

Reminder

You are God’s gift to the world for such a time as this.
How does God want you to give yourself away today?