Speak truth without grumbling or poking
S-Philippians 2
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
O - Paul here is encouraging the church at Philippi to be great witnesses of the Gospel to the world. He is is telling his perspective both as an apostle and as member of the church. As an apostle he is an example, as he faced many challenges and boldly went into the world sharing the gospel, despite the many challenges he faced as a result of his obedience to the calling, he is able to make statements such as “do all things without grumbling“. He says that, knowing not that he doesn’t have things to grumble about but, for a purpose so that as we go into the world we are lights, giving others who need to hear the good news without the light being dimmed by our pointing out about our own flaws in our own poor attitudes. You see it’s because there are not bad people, but a generation in which we he is trying to speak the gospel to and at times. can be resistant to hearing the truth due to the culture that is in this world, or a different way of saying that due to the culture telling them not to have faith in Christ but to have faith in their own ability to be their own salvation.
A - The application for me is to simply make sure I am guarding my attitude. My response to things in this world, whether it be my distaste for them, my judgment of them, or my sinful thoughts against them are barriers to me being a light in this world. I need to understand that my internal voice does not need to be my external voice. I need to allow God’s internal spirit in me speak externally to those before me. I have a very real example today with the leader who works for me who continues to challenge my ability to show him God‘s love and grace, because he continually challenges me and my values. My response needs not to be that of retaliation, but light, I must continue to shine light and love where there is darkness. My default is not to do that but to rather shine a bright light on the ugliness and poke a stick at things that I see as unclean, or unrighteous. God is telling me that in His time, and in in his spirit is the way to help people come to his righteousness. If I am a willing servant I will set my pride aside and be a vessel in which God can bring the light into the world.
P- dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this timely devotion, may it to be sealed to my heart. I recognize today as a potential breakthrough in my understanding, Lord I need you to help me change what is inside to heal the hurt to squash the pride in to change me inside out, so that I might respond the way you are calling me to respond to those that you have me in front of today. I pray all these things in Jesus Christ name, Amen.
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