Shining Stars

<p>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 with eye-catching brilliance. These pinpricks of light, born of heat and fire, stood out in sharp contrast to the smooth, ink-black sky.</p> <p>Do you consider yourself to be a shining star? I&rsquo;m not talking about reaching the heights of human achievement, but standing out as a light 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 &ldquo;firmly to the word of life&rdquo; and avoided grumbling and arguing (Philippians 2:14-16).</p> <p>Our unity with other believers and our faithfulness to God can set Christians apart from the world. The problem is, these things don&rsquo;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.</p> <p>But still, there is hope. Alive in each believer, God&rsquo;s Spirit empowers us to be self-controlled, kind, and faithful (Galatians 5:19-23). Just as we are called to live beyond our natural capacity, Gods supernatural help makes this possible (v. 13). If every believer became a &ldquo;shining star&rdquo; through the power of the Spirit, just imagine how the light of God would repel the darkness around us.</p>