¹⁴ Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe ¹⁶ as you hold out the word of life – in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing. Phil 2:14-16

OK, let’s take it from the top:
1. “…do everything without complaining or arguing” – I think I’m already disqualified from writing today’s devotional. When the going gets tough, we mustn’t complain, that’s God’s command to us. The thing is sometimes, even when the going is not particularly tough, we still complain. There is something about our human nature that always wants to find fault with others and with ‘the system’. There’s something about our human nature that would also have us arguing for no apparent reason, just as long as we can disagree with others. Very bad!
2. “…so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault.” Oh dear! How are you doing on this one? Have you achieved the status of blames, pure and without fault? Is this possible for anyone? Well firstly it is for God. This is God’s standard and though we may not hit the mark with that kind of perfection, let us be found reaching closer to the mark rather than further from it. Let us be found doing all we can to glorify God in our purity and blamelessness.

In both these areas, we need to be set apart, which the Bible tells us we are as Christians. In other words, we need to be different. Everybody else is complaining all the time. People are doing what they please, how they please, with whoever they please. Our job as Christ-followers is to be like Christ. When we go against the grain in this way, we shine like stars in the universe. Quit complaining! Quit arguing! Quit sinning! You’re not called to be a black hole, but a star, so shine!

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