Shine Like the Stars
Philippians 2:15b “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky."
I do not remember reading the above verse before, but I know I probably have countless times. I felt like God highlighted it for me recently.
Do you wonder what proceeds this promise of shining like a star?
Is it how many Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter followers you have? Is it how many likes or retweets you get?
Maybe the condition for this to come true is based on how educated you are or how many credentials you have.
No? Well, it must have something to do with the way you look, the car you drive, or the house you own.
Again, that would be a “No.” This passage isn’t talking about any of those things.
In our culture, you may assume you need to accumulate possessions, or titles, or followers on social media in order to “shine among them like the stars in the sky.”
You may think of yourself as unworthy or “less than” someone you view as being a star in the sky. But you are looking at the wrong criteria. If you are judging star quality by looking at outward appearances, Facebook pages, or other people’s possessions, you are way off.
God looks at our hearts. We should aspire to have people see the love of God in our hearts. That love will cause us to stop comparing ourselves to others.
How should we behave in order to shine like a star? What attitude should I try to adopt? Let’s look at what proceeds that passage of scripture. “Do everything without complaining or arguing… (Philippians 2:14) then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (Philippians 2:15b)
Wow! That is what makes us shine among them like a star in the sky. Our heart attitude, choosing not to complain or grumble and making the choice not to argue.
We can only accomplish this if we remember and receive the love God has for us. The more loved we feel, the less we will want to argue or complain. The truth is God can’t love us anymore. He loves us to the full. That doesn’t change because we have a challenging, stressful, or exhausting day.
Our focus might change, though. Instead of reminding ourselves and intentionally receiving God’s love and approval, it might feel easier to grumble about our circumstances.
I think something that might help is to start each day with Jesus…not Facebook, not emails, not texts.
What if we filled our love tanks up each morning? Would we be able to resist grumbling or arguing easier?
I’m going to give this a shot. It certainly can’t hurt anything. And, when I do succumb to complaining, God has an abundance of grace for me. I still shine like a star in his eyes! He knows I am a work in progress, and he is proud of me. And that is nothing to complain about.
