What If?

I went to an appreciation luncheon on Tuesday for ladies who volunteer during a monthly ladies event at my church. It was so much fun to get to hang out, chat, and share lunch with some really great Christian ladies. I met a few new people and got to know others better than I knew them before. We laughed, ate, won prizes, and had a great time.

The lady who spoke (briefly) at this luncheon also coordinated it. She had placed stars everywhere. On the tables, the little cakes were shaped like stars, our name tags were stars etc... This was because she wanted to say thanks to us for being "stars". She also spoke about the scripture in Philippians where it says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing so that no one can criticize you. Live clean innocent lives as children of God shining like stars in a world full of crooked and perverse people." (Phil 2: 14,15)

She said that in this world we really do shine like stars when we do things without arguing or complaining. We stand out. We are different when we live like this. Wow, how sad it is that so many of us are complaining and arguing, that those who do not, shine as brightly as stars. Stars are beautiful, bright, and twinkly. Definitely unique. Definitely not the norm. The norm is the dark expanse in which the stars exist.

This has really helped me this week. I've thought twice before opening my mouth to complain. What good does it do anyway but make me look bad? It doesn't help anything; it doesn't solve anything. It really has no positive impact on anything at all. Complaining only contains negative forces. As for arguing, I don't suffer AS MUCH, with this one, but each of us knows someone who does. They can and will challenge any one on any point, sometimes seemingly for no reason other than to argue. Every time you encounter them they push your buttons, refuse to ever admit they are wrong. They live to argue. When we fill the air with complaints and arguing, what a sickly black mess we add to the already VAST expanse of darkness! What if we simply change our hearts? What if we just make an effort all day every day to shut up!? What if we just don't spout off about a coworker? What if we don't complain about a vendor? What if we don't murmur behind someone else's back? What if we just "drop it" before an argument starts? What if we step forward in an effort to make peace with someone? What if we show others GRACE instead of arguing every little point with them? What if!!!!???? We could actually become like stars--shining, beautiful, clear, bright light into the vast darkness that most of the world sees and lives in. Wouldn't that be awesome?!?! They need our light, people!! They need the light of God, the source of our light! We should be shining it everywhere instead of adding to the looming darkness.

I am so thankful I went to that luncheon. I am so glad that scripture took a hold of me, convicted me, and remained with me. STOP COMPLAINING. STOP ARGUING. Live like children of GOD!!! Shine like stars in a world of crooked and perverse people. We are children of God, shouldn't we shine like royalty?! Shouldn't we share that light with the world?! We are called to share His light, right? Can't we also do that in this (seemingly) small way? No complaining! No arguing! SHINE ON, SHINE ON!