Philippians 2 V:15-16 You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky as you offer them the message of life.
We are fortunate to live in between two of Wales’ Dark Sky Reserves with the Brecon Beacon to the south and the Elan Valley to the north. There is something very humbling about gazing upwards and seeing the thousands of glittering stars.
At this time of year as the days shorten and night falls ever earlier it is easy to mourn the passing of summer, forgetting that we are not so much losing summer days as gaining winter nights; crisp , cold days followed by nights with little cloud cover provide the perfect opportunity to gaze on the night sky.
In Philippians 2:15 Paul writes to the Christians in Philippi who “live in a world of corrupt and sinful people,” encouraging them to “ shine among them like stars lighting up the sky.”
The stars are always there. When our hemisphere is lit by the sun we do not see the stars. It is only when we are out of the sun’s brightness that the glory of the stars shine.
I was encouraged today by Cathy Madavan’s commentary on Philippians 2: 14-18 in Inspiring Women Every Day in which she reminds us that it is often in our suffering that we shine in the darkness like stars, not when the sun is shining and all is right with the world. The world watches to see how we deal with life’s trials and tribulations; are we able, like Paul, to demonstrate the presence of Jesus in our lives in all circumstances. May we welcome troubled times as opportunities to shine like stars.
