Pop culture surrounds us everywhere we go. It influences the clothes we wear, the music we hear, the images we see on tv and in the movies. Sometimes, pop-culture doesn't exactly agree with Christian culture.
Some Christians might be out with a group of their friends, who might not all be Christians. What is that said Christian supposed to do in that situation? They could react in several different ways. They could think, "These guys are my friends. I know I'm a Christian, but they aren't. What can I do? Maybe I can save them. Maybe if I keep my head about me and my heart in the right place, I can show these people what being a Christian is all about. Maybe they'll see me and start to get into Christ." In a totally different scenario, one might think, "None of these guys are Christians. I had better keep quiet about my religion or they'll think I'm some kind of holy roller."
The later scenario is the one that most of us would find our minds screaming to us in that situation. Just keep quiet, the non-Christians might laugh at us and not accept us if they find out we try to live a holy life. Sometimes, it works. We might be able to keep quiet about our faith, and just go on living. But what does Jesus have to say about this? He was very to-the-point about just such a matter in one of His most famous sermons:
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle-stick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
-Matthew 5:14-16
What exactly did the Lord mean? The light He was referring to was the light of God that is inside all Christians. We can judge ourselves and how strong we are in our faith in God by judging how brightly our light shines.
So what does that indicate when we hide our light in certain situations? Why do we want to hide our light under a bowl when we get around darkness, the very thing the light was meant to penetrate? The reason light exists is to overcome darkness. Our light burns to push back the darkness of the world, the dark forces that run amok in those not covered by the blood of Jesus, to show our light to those in the darkness.
What's really bad is when the darkness is able to imitate the light, and fool those that have the light into following the darkness instead. As an example, on a certain major tv network, public service announcements are made which star famous actors from their popular series. These actors will present some moral message in some kind of attention-getting way, which makes them look like some moral role models. They're teaching morals, so what they do must be okay. For instance, a message might be aimed at teenagers, teaching against having sex. Half an hour later, you see the same star, playing their role in their tv show that's all about sex. That actor/actress just dragged their moral message through the mud, and look what anyone who might have started to look up to him/her has to look up to now! It's like being so low that you have to look up to see the ground. This is just one of many ways that the darkness tries to make itself look like the light to draw in the weak in faith.
God has given us a precious gift; the salvation of Jesus Christ, His holy Son. But just as the Israelites weren't supposed to hoard the manna that God sent from heaven in the desert, we aren't supposed to hoard the light that God gives us. Rather, our entire purpose of living on this planet is to share the light of Jesus with as many others as we can. Our purpose is to "bare good fruit", as Jesus says:
You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.
-Matthew 7:16-20
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you, except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
-John 15:4-6a
A good way to look at it is this: if you talked to someone for a while, would they guess that you were a Christian, or would they guess that you weren't? Would they be surprised if you told them you were a Christian? Our goal as Christians is to look like Christians; to show the world what a Christian is. If someone is truly a Christian, it will be apparent through the way that they live, because a true Christian's life is truly conformed to what God wants instead of what the world wants.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die; but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
-Romans 8:5,9,12-14
And be not conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
-Romans 12:2
Jesus gives clear warning about trying to conform to the ways of this world, instead of fulfilling our duty to conform ourselves to God's holy ways (and try to convince others to do the same.) If we don't let our light shine to those around us, and give them the salvation of Jesus, we haven't fulfilled our purpose. And who really cares if the children of the world don't like us? Who cares if that secularist group of people we tried to witness to laughs at us and calls us "holy rollers"? We just have more treasures in heaven for trying our best and suffering for Christ's sake (that is if you really care enough about how they think of you to call it suffering). And maybe, just maybe, even if they weren't converted the first time, they were opened to the truth a little bit. There's always next time.
Back to top