Shine among them like stars in the sky. —Philippians 2:15 NIV

There’s something almost magical about Christmas lights. You can take a simple tree, a humble mailbox, even the most neglected of homes and drape it in sparkling, twinkling Christmas lights and voilà! They are transformed from the ordinary into the extraordinary.

God works a bit like those Christmas lights. He takes a simple shepherd, a humble fisherman, even the most neglected of sinners and drapes them in healing mercies and unconditional love and voilà! They are transformed from the ordinary into the extraordinary. His light shines through them to chase away the darkness, to lead His people from slavery to freedom, to teach them to become fishers of men, to help them sparkle like stars in the nighttime sky.

If you think about the heroes of the Bible, there were no superheroes, no men or women in tights and capes. There were only ordinary people, just like you. But they were loved by and allowed themselves to be used by an extraordinary God. And He made them extraordinary too. Won’t you follow their example and let yourself be transformed? You too will shine like the stars, like magical Christmas lights.

Shine through me, Lord, so that I may show the world how wonderfully extraordinary You are!

Zondervan. 2018. 365 Devotions for a Thankful Heart. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

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