Shining Like Stars!

I have an app on my phone that, when pointed at the sky can give to me the names and locations of the stars, planets, and constellations. Of course, during the day I can’t see any of them. For example, it shows me that this morning Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and Venus are all together just above the eastern horizon. And, it shows the stars that are currently in the sky above me. However, because it is daytime none of them are visible to my eye. On the other hand, at nightfall the stars and planets are able to shine in such a way that they become visible to the eye. 

You know how it is, assuming a clear sky, the darker the sky the brighter the stars shine—and in greater abundance. Living in suburbia close to a major city as I do just naturally limits the number of stars I can see at night. But when I go to the mountains as my family does each summer, the sky becomes star-filled to an extent I just can’t imagine back home. Even the Milky Way becomes visible. And the abundance of shooting stars we catch above us is astounding. It’s a view we just cannot catch here in Monmouth County, NJ. 

It's very simple: the darker the sky the brighter the stars seem to shine. In actuality two things are true about this: (1) The stars are not shining brighter—they’re actually shining with the same intensity that they always do; (2) The darkness of the sky brings out the brightness of the stars. It’s all about the contrast of the light against the backdrop of the dark. 

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul instructs the followers of Jesus to “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.’ He then says, “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky….” (Philippians 2:14-15 – NIV)  

You see, as we live our lives for Christ, we will just naturally shine. The brightness of our Savior will come through us. And like the stars in the sky,  the darker it is in the world around us, the greater the contrast—i.e., the brighter we will seem to shine; the more impact our lives will have. 

So, let me encourage you as one of God’s stars, to do two things today: (1) Draw close to Christ and live as he would have you live, that the brightness of Christ would fill your life; (2) When you feel the darkness of this world closing in on you, see it as an opportunity to allow the light of Christ to shine through your life as maybe never before. 

Let’s shine like the stars God has made us to be! 

Have a great day! 

-  Pastor Tim Harris