Hi friend! I’m so happy you stopped by to visit with me. Today I have been thinking about you, and I shine like stars in a dark world. Grab your favorite drink and your Bible, and let’s look at Philippians 2.
My daughter and I are studying the Bible together, and we are in Philippians 2:15, where Paul talks about “shining stars in a dark world.”
The study’s writer asked, “Why do you think Paul used stars to describe Christians in the world?” And “Are you shining brightly? (What Matters Most, Karen Ehman –2018).
I’m a big Lion King fan, and right now, I hear Timon and Pumbaa talking about knowing what those little white dots were in the sky, and Timon saying they were fireflies that got stuck up on the big bluish-black thing, and Pumbaa saying he thought they were balls of gas burning billions of miles away. When they ask Simba, he shares that someone once told him the great kings of the past were looking down on us, watching over us. All of a sudden, they laugh and say, why would anyone, especially kings, be watching over us?
I love the visuals! Have you ever gone camping or somewhere away from the lights of a town or city? Someplace where the only lights shining were the stars and the moon? If you have, think of that place—the quiet, peaceful night.
Consider the bible study question: why would Paul describe Christians as shining stars in a dark world?
As an illustration, think about the last time you were outside when it was night, and when you looked up, what did you see? Imagine with me, it’s quiet and peaceful. The night critters sing songs, and a warm breeze softly whispers through the trees. Look up, tiny diamonds are sparkling on a blanket of dark blue, almost black sky. While some are very bright, others you can barely see, but they are shining. Of course, there are so many you can’t count them, but each one has a story and is special.
In Genesis, when God tells Abram that He will make a great nation come from Abram, Abram asks how that could be, since he is old and has not yet had a child, and a slave would end up being his heir. God showed him in a vision that the slave would not be the heir, then took Abram outside and told him to look up at the sky and count the stars, if he could; then He told Abram that his offspring would be that numerous. (Genesis 15:5) Abram believed, and God counted it as righteousness, and Abraham, as good as dead, was born as many as the stars of heaven. (Heb 11:12)
From the Oxford Dictionary: A Star is a fixed luminous point in the night sky, a large, remote, incandescent body like the sun. A conventional or stylized representation of a star, typically one having five or more points. A famous or exceptionally talented performer in the world of entertainment or sports.
What are stars? Pumbaa was right: little balls of gas! In Genesis 1, God created light and called light day and darkness night; in verses 14-19, He created two great lights –the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night – and the stars. So, God created the stars in the heavens to give light on the earth.
To answer the first question, why did Paul describe Christians as shining stars in a dark world? Stars were created to give light in the darkness. Although they do not give off much light by themselves, you can see them and know they are reflections of a greater Light. We are to shine our light in the dark expanse of the world to point others to Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star.
The second question is, are you shining brightly? Are you shining your light in the dark places where you live? How do you do that?
In the verse that Paul tells us to shine like stars. He tells us to do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that we may be blameless and pure, children of God. Who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation.
If we take these verses in Philippians, Paul says to do EVERYTHING… everything includes your relationships with your spouse, children, friends, and other family members. Your job. Your school. When you go to the store. Drive on the highway. Or at church. I’ll let you add your “everything” to the list.
“Do everything without grumbling and arguing. To me, means when someone cuts me off in traffic, I don’t give them a piece of my mind. Or when I ask for the 100th time for my hubby to put things back where they belong, I keep my heavy sigh to myself. Sometimes I think my way is better than yours, and I keep pushing it on you. Doing these things is always a way to keep my starlight from shining. What are some ways you grumble and argue?
When we do not grumble and argue, we become blameless and pure. We should live our lives doing what we say we will do, standing up for the truth. When others talk about us, is it better to be said well than to be evil?
Buy me a coffeeA few years ago, when my family lived in El Paso, TX. We took our Venturing Crew to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. There, they have a tour that takes you deep into the cave. At one point, they lead you into a part of the cave and have you sit down. They share some information about how the caves were back when they were first discovered. Then they said we would experience it. We are asked to sit down, then told to turn off all flashlights, phones, and anything that emits light. Once we have our items turned off, they turn off the lights on the trail.
It. Is. Dark. You cannot see your hand in front of your face. You blink, and your eyes search for light, but it’s not there. And it’s a frightening feeling. You have no sense of where you are. The sounds around you get louder. You feel lost, and finding your way out of that darkness leaves you feeling alone and afraid.
That darkness is the world. There is no light, and no matter how hard you blink and search for light, it’s not there. Fear rules in the darkness; it hides evil, and only One thing will overcome it. Light – Jesus. The only way for darkness to be overtaken is by Jesus. He comes in and lays bare the crooked, perverted ways of the world. He shines, and darkness flees. When we receive Jesus, He gives us His light. We have the power to overcome darkness. We are shining like stars in a dark world.
Thanks for spending time with me!
Do you have any questions or ideas we could explore? Please contact me below, and I will respond as soon as I can!
