“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” (Phil. 2:14-15).
Most people know how distasteful it is to be around those who are complainers and critical. Such projects an attitude that life is pretty sour and pessimistic. The faithful child of God has every reason to be upbeat and happy seeing that the inner man is right with God and the future holds great things. Paul, like Jesus (cf. Matt. 5:14-16), emphasizes the need to be “lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). Light is a valuable element for clarity and safety. Consider three positive matters concerning one’s influence that projects the greatness of God and how great it is to be a Christian.
1. Soul-Winning. Christians, like Christ, want people to be saved and ultimately be in heaven. Influencing people to follow the spiritual path to heaven demands a positive influence. Paul wrote to Timothy, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Tim. 2:24-26). Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5). Peter wrote concerning Christian wives married to non-Christian husbands, “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear” (1 Peter 3:1-2).
2. Speech. The words of a person say much about a person’s perspective and attitude about all sorts of matters. The exhortations to Christians abound in positive commands and clear warnings. Paul wrote, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:6). Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Eph. 4:29). James stressed strongly being careful with the use of the tongue. After illustrating the need for controlling horses and great ships, he writes, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell” (James 3:5-6). It is as Solomon wrote, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Prov. 18:21).
3. Service. As Jesus was a doer of good things (cf. Acts 10:38) so are Christians to do the same (cf. Gal. 6:10). Service is a way of life to the Christian as the church is to be people oriented. As a matter of fact, those who will be in heaven are so service oriented that they do not occupy their minds with whom or how much service they give (cf. Matt. 25:34-40). “How can I help” and “What more can I do” are the can-do attitudes of God’s faithful people.
Jimmy Clark