BECOME A STAR

Recently while reading the account of the birth of Jesus in (Matt 2:1-2) where the wise men from the East had followed a star to find the new King of he Jews, I had a certain thought. We should all strive to become a star that might lead someone to Jesus! In (Dan 12:3) we read "Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever". When we think of someone becoming a star today, most likely we think of some famous personality who has become well known through their public appearances. We might never become that sort of a star, who is considered as such by the world, but we are not of the world!

A star is meant to be seen in the heavens, and Paul tells us in (Eph 2:4-7) that God has seated us in heavenly places in Christ, so He can point to us as examples for others to follow. Of course he was speaking of our spiritual standing, but the world should be able to see a difference in our behavior as followers of Jesus! We are told by Jesus to "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven". (Matt 5:20) We know that not all stars shine forth with the same brightness, but they each have their place in the heavens, and God calls them all by name!

So each of us can become a "star" in this sense, and let our little light shine, as the chorus we learned in Sunday School tells us. Paul has a good word for us along the same lines in (Phil 2:12-15), where we are encouraged to be "bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people". As the world gets darker, we should shine forth even brighter! (Isa 60: 1-3). Even the light from a small candle can be easily seen in a dark room. So let us be encouraged in these days of great spiritual darkness, when the dark works of Satan are being displayed everywhere, even in some churches. It seems that the old fashioned gospel that tells people they are sinners in need of a Savior, has been replaced in many circles with a different gospel. This new so-called gospel in "man centered", instead of being "God centered" and tells people only what they want to hear, and not what they need to hear! ( 2 Tim 4:3-4) May God forgive us for our sin of keeping our light hidden, and start to become a "star" that will clearly point the way to Jesus as the only Savior from sin!

Sincerely submitted.

Gramp