Shine His Light in This Dark World
What a crazy 12 months it has been. I have quite a bit on my mind, so this post may zig and zag, but I do have a point. This past year has brought fear, anger, bitterness, and even more division to our country, and sadly, I believe, the church as well.
We as Christians have lost our focus. I’m including myself in this and I’m also addressing all Christ-followers – progressive, conservative, Protestant, Catholic, evangelical, and non-denominational. I know it’s easy to lose focus as we are pulled here and there in our daily lives. But, we also seem to have lost our purpose as well. This world demands so much from us and we are quick to take on its burdens, such as keeping up with the Jones’s or proving our worth through our hustle.
Sadly, our love for others is growing cold as well. As I read social media posts, I see hate, blame, and judgement. It’s hard to see the love of Christ in comments that call other believers idiots. It’s hard to see the light of Christ in posts that demonize fellow Christians because they vote differently. We seem to have forgotten the Matthew 18 principle that says if you have something against your brother (or sister), then take it to them personally to resolve the issue. Instead, we put it out on social media for the world to see.
We also put too much faith in those who run the government. Many believers put their hope in the current president to set things right in our country. Many believers are putting their hope in the president-elect to set things right in our country. Do you think God can only accomplish His will through our elected officials? No. Our hope should not be in man, but in Christ alone.
When Christ walked this earth, he paid little attention to what was going on in the government. The Jewish people were expecting a Messiah to save them from the oppressive Roman government. But Jesus came to save them from something incredibly more significant than that. He came to save them – and us – from sin and death. He showed love to the outcasts. He changed the hearts of sinners. He healed the sick. He freed the oppressed. He did kingdom work. And now, as His followers, we should do kingdom work as well.
What does that look like?
To begin with, we need to look at ourselves. Ask the LORD for a pure heart, one that aligns with His. Jesus said in Matthew 5, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” (verse 8). Part of aligning our hearts with His includes repenting of our sins, whatever and however many they may be. Have you been easily angered by those who disagree with you? Have you spoken poorly of a fellow believer? Have you judged someone based upon who they voted for? I ask myself these questions as well.
We also need to dive deep into His word and begin obeying Him. Hate has no place in our thoughts and hearts when we fill them with the Word of God, which is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). It is through obedience we show love to God. It’s not just through words, but actions as well (see 1 Samuel 15:22; James 1:22). In order to obey Him, we need to know His word and His commandments, which is why it’s important to read and study the Bible.
Something else we can do is to pray for wisdom and discernment. Between conspiracy theories and outright lies, there is so much out there leading us away from the truth. Jesus said He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Again, let’s follow after Him. He will lead us to truth and keep us grounded in it (see John 16:13). Also, filter everything through the Word of God. If someone declares they have a message from God, examine it and compare it to what we know to be true about God (for example, does the prophecy seem to fit the models given to us in the Bible?).
Finally, let’s remember to love each other. Jesus said in John 13:34-35 that we are to love others as He loved us and that the world would know we were His disciples because of our love for one another. Looking at the church now, do you think the world knows we are His disciples? Are we truly His disciples, faithfully doing His work, or do we just call ourselves disciples because we believe in Jesus? There is a difference. Jesus says in John 8:31 that if we “abide” in His word, then we are “truly” His disciples. Are we abiding in His word? These are serious questions we need to ask of ourselves. I want you to know that I’m not judging, because again, I’m asking myself these questions. I only want to encourage all of us to shift our focus back to Jesus and to seek after Him.
If you find yourself getting offended by words, ask yourself “why?” My intent is not to insult or offend, but to rather encourage us as we move forward. It’s time for us to be the salt and light Jesus called us to be. What does that mean for you? Is it to help others? Is it to apologize to a loved one? Is it to seek Jesus more? Whatever it is, let’s start doing it and show this dark world the love and forgiveness of Christ by shining His light.
