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His brightness far exceeds
that of the stars above and that of our own making. No matter how accomplished,
how talented, how popular, or how rich, we can’t begin to outshine Jesus. He is
the only light that matters and He wants us to reflect His light. Let’s do it!
Eternal Perspectives by Sally Bair
Stars
The myriad of stars we see on
a clear night away from the world’s distracting lights is a sight to remember.
One fall night I slept outside our tent, entranced by the heaven’s display of
stars, and of meteorites which we call shooting stars. I learned that stars,
once they’ve shined in their brilliance, burn out. Like candles, they expend
themselves.
The Bible tells us that God
sent a brilliant, shining star to direct the wise men to Jesus’ stable. Once
they arrived, the special star might have had no more significance, so could
have burned out, although its origin and purpose remain an astronomical
mystery.
The Bible contains many other
references to shining lights. For instance, we are told, metaphorically, to be
like shining lights. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Does that
mean we should burn out like a star or candle after we’ve prayed for someone? Or
shared the Gospel with a stranger? Or advised a friend against an illegal and
immoral act?
The Old Testament book of
Esther tells of a Jewish woman, whose name means Star, who sacrificed herself
for the sake of her people. She chose to be willing to give up her life to do
what was right for the sake of others. As a result, her life became a light
that could have been extinguished through death, burned out like a candle, but it
shone like a great star that will never burn out. The Jewish people still
celebrate her heroism.
Esther, as one who shared the
throne with the king of Persia, could have chosen to hold onto her high
position at the expense of her people. We too have a choice. If we choose to
live for the sake of being selfishly comfortable, we may find ourselves dwelling
in darkness. But if we are willing to give up our lives for the sake of
others—as Esther did and as Jesus did—we will become as great as a shining star
that never burns out.
Jesus said, “I am the light
of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light
of life.” (John 8:12) We can make the choice of living as a sacrifice for His
purpose, knowing He will light the way for us.
Lord, as we sacrifice ourselves for Your sake and the
sake of others, keep our lights from flickering and burning out. In Jesus’
name, amen.
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