What does it mean to shine like a star?
We live in a world obsessed with self. We live in a world where ‘I’ am god and where ‘I’ do my utmost to put ‘me’ first, where ‘I’ will put others down to get ahead; I’ve seen it in work, in church, in communities, in families and I have done it myself. Even supposed benevolent actions and words can be tinged with selfish ambition and self aggrandisement.
Being a star is, it seems, only possible by self elevation and self promotion. This is seen most obviously within celebrity culture, currently being played out in Celebrity Big Brother, where alleged celebrities compete for attention and votes, desperate for the moment that will give their flagging ‘careers’ a temporary lift. In our own way do we simply ape this approach to life? Looking for moments to give ‘me’ a lift?
In a letter written by St. Paul to a church in Philippi, the readers are challenged to ‘shine like stars’ (v.16). At first reading this appears to be a call to be ‘light’ in the world, to be obvious, to stand out so that others may see those who follow Jesus and be drawn to him. We see churches and denominations promoting their courses, services and programmes; inviting people to ’come’. Christians put themselves in public places, promoting books, songs and their theologies. Stars are after all, rather obvious. There is nothing necessarily wrong with this…
…however this is a letter not one-liner…
Up to this point in the letter St. Paul has written about his sufferings, Christ’s sufferings and the privilege of suffering. He has warned the readers about selfish ambition and conceit and encouraged them to be humble. Paul has then gone onto describe how Christ forsook position and status and made himself ‘nothing’, obedient to death; even a cursed death. Paul then reminds the reader of how God then exalted Christ.
With that build up, Paul encourages the readers to ‘shine like stars’.
So I find myself wondering, what sort of star was Jesus?
A suffering, humble one, one who did not exploit his position, one who in the eyes of the watching world, did not shine at all!
To shine like a star in God’s kingdom is not to make myself more shiny at all it seems. But rather to shroud ourselves in the cloud of putting others first, humility and pursuing the way of a servant, to obey, not to exploit status and position but to make myself nothing.
Only when I live like this do I ‘shine like a star’.
