Today’s quote comes from Rob Bell out of his book titled, “Velvet Elvis.”

“We reclaim the church as a blessing machine not only because that is what Jesus intended from the beginning but also because serving people is the only way their perceptions of church are ever going to change. This is why it is so toxic for the gospel when Christians picket and boycott and complain about how bad the world is. This behavior doesn’t help. It makes it worse. It isn’t the kind of voice Jesus wants his followers to have in the world. Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn’t as bright as it could be.”
– Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis

The last part of that quote is especially powerful: “Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn’t as bright as it could be.”  It is easy to sit back and criticize those outside of Christ for actions and thoughts and for living life in a way that is natural to them. It is easy to get a group of people together to take a stand against a particular vice or sin.  It is harder to be the light that we ought to be so that people will see Christ in us and we can point them to a heavenly Father that loves them.  People matter to God, and if they matter to God, then they should matter to us. If we would spend more time being light where God has strategically placed us, and less time picking people apart for actions that they have no power to overcome on their own, maybe, just maybe we would make a bit of difference for the Kingdom.

So, let your light shine!

Just saying…

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

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