Don’t Complain; Be the Light
This blog post almost didn’t happen. I’ve been working on Philippians 2:12-15, and there is SO MUCH to unpack in these verses - too much for an easy blog post on a week where I’m swamped with the rest of life.
So on Thursday after trying to write, I ended up checking email. I opened a newsletter that includes a weekly quote, and this week’s was from Augustine:
“‘Bad times! Hard times!’ — this is what men are saying. But let us live well, and the times shall be well. We are the times. Such as we are, such are the times.”
And I knew which part of this I wanted to write about: light in the darkness.
For context, here are the verses I’m talking about:
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:14-15)
Because sometimes I feel like all the church does is complain about how dark and messed up the world is, as if it hasn’t been dark since the garden of Eden. I am weary of myself and everyone around me walking in fear and dread, as if we don’t have the power of God inside of us. I am so tired of people thinking the sky is falling, as if we don’t know the one who holds it up.
We think we’re being “different” from the world because we have different concerns, but a lot of times we’re walking in the same fear and hopelessness. Like the only thing different between us and the culture is that we disagree on what’s wrong with the world; when the real difference is that we know how it will be made right. You can’t be afraid of the dark and also be the light of the world.
And when you think of it that way, the darkness seems much less dark. Yes, there’s a lot of craziness going on in the world…but also so much light. God is working.
If you look at the stats about what percent of Gen Z (12-27 year olds) claim to be Christians, it looks dark, but if you look at individual stories of how God is working in people’s lives, it’s so bright. If it’s less socially acceptable to be a Christian, that just means those who claim Christ really mean it. If our generation is dark, that just means we get to shine so much brighter.
If you watch the news and see all the wars and conflicts going on, it looks dark. But if you look back at history and see how many times it has already been like this, you can also see how God has been faithful all the way. His light has never faded throughout all of history.
If you look at all the struggles and stresses in your own life, it will look dark. But if you compare them to everything God has already done in your life and everything he has promised you - incomparably bright.
So to go back to the quote from the beginning: instead of moaning about the darkness, look to the light. The solution to a dark, crooked, perverse generation is not to complain and argue with them, but to keep being the light. To keep on being pure and blameless and harmless. To keep living in your identity as a child of God.
I know it seems hard to believe we can have such an impact on the world around us, just by being light ourselves. Especially when we know how much darkness we can have inside of us. But don’t forget that light is more powerful than darkness.
How do we actually live this out? Let’s go back to the context; the verses preceding this. Paul says, “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure.”
And let’s not forget that all of this is coming on the heels of verses 5-11, which is a description of Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection.
We can be blameless, harmless, without fault, light in the darkness - because God is working in us. Because we are children of God. Because Christ has gone before us in obedience and humility.
I almost ended this by saying “go be the light,” but that’s not where we start. We can only shine when we’re full of light directly from Jesus. So don’t go try to be the light; go sit with Jesus and bask in his light, until you’re glowing with the reflection of him.