Day 79

Only in the last few decades have news and sports media reported on a twenty-four hour basis. The never-ending need for a new story has brought an influx of endless chatter and analysis. At times, the quality of news coverage seems watered down due to all the hours to fill. In addition, through social media and messaging “apps,” we can learn the most mundane details of people’s lives with a simple touch and swipe.

Here’s a thought: As Christ-followers, let’s give the media something life-altering to talk about. The transformational effect of God’s Spirit upon a single human life can and should be so radical that people notice and talk about it. Consider Jesus. Though not always embraced, and at times rejected, He was never ignored. The religious leaders tried numerous tactics to silence and remove Him from the public eye. Yet news of the words He spoke and the miracles He performed spread quickly throughout the region.

What could be more newsworthy than the visible effects of God’s holy character displayed through an individual life? As Scripture has commanded:

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

As God’s Spirit works in us according to His purposes, we become:

“…blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16a).

The life of God living through us will present a radical contrast to the ways of the world. Ask God to work in you. Ask Him for the immeasurable privilege of displaying who He is through the events of your everyday life. Then, whether in the bleachers of a ballgame, at a neighbor’s dinner table or on cable news, may people speak of the excellencies of our God. They will do so because they’ve seen the transforming power of His Spirit in each one of us.