Let Our Light Shine

During a conversation today a co-worker of mine remarked, "It seems like the world is running away from what it really needs."  I told him that statement is more true than we can know.  The world is on a rampage of rebellion against God.  Christians are not called to be highbrow "goody goodies" who stand in judgment of the world.  Whoever is of the world has Satan as father, ruler, and master.  Those who have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ are now alive to God.  One thing that will mark a true believer in Christ is that we no longer walk according to the model of Satan's self-seeking rule.  Ephesians 2:1-3 says, "And you He (Christ) made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, [2] in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, [3] among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."

I saw a Verizon commercial about their new phones accompanied with their new catchphrase:  "Rule the Air."  It is an ironic phrase, seeing that Satan is called the "prince of the power of the air."  I am not suggesting that Verizon is satanic or cell phones are the devil's playground in themselves - though an argument could be made that they can become an idol.  With the internet connection, camera, video, texting, movies, live TV, games, calendar, contact lists, e-mail, tweeting, and countless applications, there are many things to distract us from seeking God and heeding His voice.  The commercial focuses on the consumer, the Verizon customer who has the ultimate power of telecommunications, not to mention the coveted internet hot spot!  It's funny that we can be duped to think that we are the center of the universe!  The world trains us to focus on us, our abilities, resources, power, and status.  Satan wants us to focus on ourselves so our view of God becomes fuzzy, dim, or even lost.  He has the entire world system under his sway as it says in 1 John 5:19:  "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one."

Christians are in the world but are not of the world, even as Christ was in the world but not of it.  This does not mean that we cannot use the technology of the world.  It means that whatever we do, we must do for the glory of God because He is our Master and King.  It is not a cell phone that is evil:  it draws to the surface the evil rebellion within a teen who texts and chats in secret after his parents tell him to stop.  The camera feature is not evil, but it reveals the wickedness in the hearts of those who take lewd photos of unsuspecting women in changing rooms.  Satan is all about promoting self.  "Do what you will.  No one is being hurt, and there's nothing wrong with a little fun."  Recognize justification of disobedience as Satan's voice!  We are our biggest hindrance to a loving, eternally long relationship with Jesus Christ.  We must be born again and be purged from our sins filled with the Holy Spirit.  God must open our eyes so we might see.

Instead of mounting frustration over the blindness of the lost and their perversions, let us remember that we were once under the same sway.  Let us consider ourselves that we walk above reproach, honoring God with what we do and say.  Cultivate compassion by the grace of Jesus Christ so we may become a beacon of the Light of the World that people may live.  A lighthouse does not have wheels to chase ships at random.  It is planted firmly in the same shore that it may provide light and guidance for the lost or direction for those seeking safe passage.  Many Christians are like mobile lighthouses that shine their lights into the equivalent of the eyes of insensible drunks passed out from trying to satisfy the lusts of the flesh.  In doing so we are like a man who screams into a tornado, "Shut up!"  What will it profit?  The tornado will not yield, my voice will be drowned out, and I will likely be swept off my feet!  But if we are like Christ - stable, personable, accessible, loving, gentle, compassionate, gracious, and merciful - and carefully build upon the solid foundation of Christ, God will bring searching people naturally to our shores so we might direct them to safe harbor in the everlasting arms of Jesus.  The storm may rage but our light can still shine.

No matter how far people may drift, no matter how fast or far the world may run from God, God remains near.  Praise God that if we desire Him He will be found by us.  If any in the world come to Christ, He will receive them for He has said in John 6:37, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."  Instead of living after the world's model, let us follow Jesus.  It is He who holds the keys of Hell and Death, and only Jesus has the Words of life.