Pointing the Way

so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.  ~Philippians 2:15

Epiphany...I like that word.  Coming from an un-churched background, I learned its secular meaning before I ever knew of its spiritual meaning.  Webster defines epiphany as: a (1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) : an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure.

The birth of Christ was all of the above.  As Immanuel, He is God manifested in human form to reveal God's plan for His creation.  And Jesus grew to become the embodiment of Truth, God's ultimate reality.  But the disclosure of Jesus' manifestation came through the use of the stars.  Whether one bright super nova, an alignment of planets or stars, or the appearance of a symbolic planet in a constellation, we may never know what the Magi saw that started them on their long journey to Jerusalem.  But we do know that it was God's plan.  Some 'star' guided them.  And now we are called to also be guides -- like stars in the sky lighting the way for a crooked generation.  Jesus was the light of the world, and now we are called to be lights.

It is curious that God said 'let there be light' days before there were heavenly bodies.  I believe that light is the light of love.  That force that people say binds the world together, is love.  Not physical love, not lust, but compassionate love, agape love, the love that makes people sacrifice for each other, to do random acts of kindness, to send money to kids around the world that they've never met.

So, my epiphany is that in this new year, I need to let my little light shine brighter.  I need to be a star shining for others so that by my light, or by following my path, I might guide people to Jesus.  I could never fully express the wholesale, radical changing in outlook that knowing Jesus has brought about in me.  I've tried every diet and I'm still fat; I've had at least 10 different jobs, and am currently unemployed; I couldn't even count all the colors my hair has bee; but since the day I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I've never looked back.  He settled my soul, and my joy is to help others find the way to settle theirs...true peace.  I pray that for you in this new year.