Bright and Shiny

Bible Reading: Philippians 2:13-16

The musty, dusty smell of the attic tickled Garrett’s nose, and he sneezed. “Some of this stuff looks like it hasn’t been touched in years!” he said as he helped his mother sort things out. He held up a box. “Look, Mom! Here are some dingy old knives and forks and spoons. Do you want them for the garage sale, or should we just throw them out?”

Mom looked up. “Throw them out? No way! These were given to my grandparents as a wedding present a long time ago. They’re very valuable!”

As she began counting the various pieces of silverware, Garrett frowned. “Doesn’t look valuable to me. No one would ever want that stuff touching their food! It’s all black and gross!”

“That’s tarnish,” said Mom. “This is silver, and it hasn’t been used for a long time. When silver isn’t used, it tarnishes.” She set down the pieces of silverware and went to the door. “I’ll be right back,” she said as she left the attic.

Soon Mom returned with a cloth and a bottle of silver polish. “Now, watch this,” she said, and she began cleaning one of the spoons. As she rubbed harder, the spoon began to change from black to a rich, gleaming silver.

“That looks great now!” said Garrett.

Mom nodded. “If it’s used and polished, it will continue to look great. Let’s take this to the kitchen and get all the silverware pieces shined up.”

In the kitchen, they continued working on the blackened silver. Garrett was amazed at the change it made. “You know, a Christian’s life has something in common with silver,” Mom told him. “They both lose their shine if they’re neglected.”

Garrett grinned. “Mom, you can get a lesson out of anything,” he said. “Okay, I know now that silver needs to be used and polished to stay shiny. So what do Christians need?”

“The same things: to be used and polished,” Mom said. “We need the polish—the power—of the Holy Spirit, and God has already given us that. When we remember who we are in Jesus and trust His Spirit to guide us in the way we live our lives, we point others to Him.”

Garrett nodded. “And then we’ll be shining brightly for Jesus.” Barbara J. Westberg

How About You?

Is your Christian life bright and shiny? There’s a lot of darkness—a lot of sin—in the world around you. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you can be a light in the darkness as you live your life and use the gifts He’s given you to serve Him and help others. As those around you see how beautiful your life has become because you’re a child of God, you will be shining for Him.

Today’s Key Verse:
Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Shine for Jesus