Like Stars in the Universe

Philippians 2:12-18 It matters very much how we live. These verses are written to people who are already saved (have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ). Paul is telling the Philippians that they need to live out their lives as Christians with great care — because God is at work within us to help us to live according to “His good purpose.” In a sense He is like a choir director or a conductor for an orchestra. Those who keep their eyes on Him are able to sing or play the right thing in the right way at the right time and look and sound good. If we can imagine an orchestra in which all the players are playing their own thing in their own way without any regard for the conductor; then we might have some idea what we as Christians sound and look like to the rest of the world and to God who is trying to direct and enable us. Why would Paul need to tell us to “do everything without complaining or arguing” unless that were the usual human way of doing things. Anything that’s new or different or difficult or that we hadn’t thought of, we want to complain and argue about it. The Word says, “don’t”! The “everything”, is all that we need to do as we “work out our salvation.” He is not saying that all this needs to happen only within the four walls of the church but in a “crooked and depraved generation" we are to shine like stars in the universe. When one is in the mountains and there is no outside light, the sky is black, and the sky is thick with stars shining brightly. The blacker the sky the brighter the stars. That’s how we need to shine in any part of the world I which we find ourselves. The secret is to keep our eyes on the Conductor and follow His direction. As we do that together without arguing or complaining, then the world will see accurately who God is and what He is about. And as we hold out the Word of life, they will be able to receive it.