Quietly Serving or Boldly Campaigning

Among my friends are those gifted with the ability to deliberately and boldly vocalize injustices happening in our world today.

I am glad for these champions, particularly those whose cause is Christ. I call them gifted, because it does take an ability given by God, which is a gift, to deliver strong messages where needed.

There are many ugly corners in our society, and many evil doings. They should be exposed and quenched. They should be corrected where possible to the best of our ability, and by the best of God’s grace.

Yet, and still, there is God’s beauty where you look for it. Wonder and awe still exist. Tenderness and innocence are still important. Majesty and glory are His alone.

I do not wish to be ignorant of needs in our communities, and cannot shut myself away from them. I cannot encourage anyone to ignore needs and human rights. I cannot deny the need to voice our concerns about dishonest dealings, carelessness, and selfishness.

However, I find myself preferring to focus on the light. The light reveals truth.

In addition, the light also illuminates God’s goodness, abilities and beauty. It sheds hope by revealing the created things of nature, and on the compassionate hearts of human nature. God’s light reveals His amazing love through the gifts in the universe, and His gifts in us.

The light helps me dwell on what is good, what is righteous, what is praise-worthy (Philippians 4:8)

Is it wrong to promote this light, hope and goodness, rather than announcing daily the wrongs in our world? It is wrong to turn away from the constant bad news of the media? Our society calls for sober thinking. Yet, it also calls for giving hope and encouragement.

The attitude of quiet service plus prayer is a way of celebrating every day, and pointing to God. Praise and worship are means of witness to a great God. Beauty is needed even more in a harsh world.

God’s word and purpose can be delivered in both ways, through this service, or through bold delivery.

Let those who are able, and crafted to do so – shout! Let those who are touched and crafted to do so - whisper His name adoringly, and share His creation and beauty.

Keep running the race until the day Christ Jesus will come.

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”