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. [Philippians 2:14-15]
We looked at the first part of this Scripture in yesterday’s devotion. Today let’s explore the second part, the part that gives the outcome of doing everything without grumbling or arguing, and becoming blameless and pure amid a world that is warped and crooked.
The outcome is simple, “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.”
Here it seems translations differ slightly. The older translations tell us we will shine as lights in the world [KJV], the newer ones as lights or stars in the universe. [NIV]
I’m fine with either. I think the emphasis is on the word shine anyway. This morally corrupt warped world is dark. Sin is always dark, without the light of God. We are supposed to shine, bringing a noticeable brightness into its midst. Whether it’s light or stars, the idea is that we stand out and we illuminate everywhere we go.
Unfortunately, for many Christians and in many churches, we don’t look much different from the world – nothing sets us apart. We have adopted the practices of this morally corrupt, warped generation. We commit adultery, have sex outside of marriage, engage in envy and greed, we hate, and lie, and get angry.
It’s time we thought about shining as stars in the sky and hold(ing) firmly to the word of life.
