Shining Stars

Hi, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading, titled Shining Stars, was written by Jennifer Benson Schult. I can close my eyes and go back in time to the house where I grew up. I remember stargazing with my father. We took turns squinting through his telescope, trying to focus on glowing dots that shimmered and winked.

These pinpricks of light, born of heat and fire, stood out in sharp contrast to the smooth ink-black sky. Do you consider yourself to be a shining star? I'm not talking about reaching the heights of human achievement, but standing out against a dark background of brokenness and evil. The Apostle Paul told the Philippian believers that God would shine in and through them as they held firmly to the word of life and avoided grumbling and arguing. Our unity with other believers and our faithfulness to God can set us apart from the world.

The problem is that these things don't come naturally. We constantly strive to overcome temptation so we can maintain a close relationship with God. We wrestle against selfishness to have harmony with our spiritual brothers and sisters.

But still, there's hope. Alive in each believer, God's Spirit empowers us to be self-controlled, kind, and faithful. Just as we are called to live beyond our natural capacity, God's supernatural help makes this possible.

If every believer became a shining star through the power of the Spirit, just imagine how the light of God would repel the darkness around us. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Philippians, chapter 2, verses 12 through 18. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. 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. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

So you, too, should be glad and rejoice with me. Let's pray. Father, empower us through your Spirit to be a light in the darkness. Make us into people who are known for our love of others and our faithfulness to you, people who reflect Christ to the world. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.