Paint The World

Good morning as we look forward to snow tonight. or maybe even this very morning! This snow may not be enough to cover the warmth still in the ground, we may need to watch the sky and trees to see it. What about us, does the world see our witness? In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul reminds his younger disciple to stir up the gift God has given to him. Imagine that the gift of God is like a fine paint that we are to stir up for use in this world. We are given God's love, the peace of Christ, the perseverance of the saints, and the strength of soldiers in God's army, but these wonderful gifts must be stirred together to make that perfect hue of our witness. With this paint we are to cover the stain of sin on the world. Surely that is not enough, you might say. Well, of course if we are speaking about human paint from our own efforts alone, then you would be correct. We must use what God has given mixed with the sweat of our effort and we must paint together.

My little painting is only one brush stroke, but yours is another, and we are joined by many of our fellow painters for Christ. My bit of paint will not cover much and is quickly ignored by the world. But if I am not the only one painting, and I most certainly am not, then the doubters will find it more difficult to ignore this Christian paint that is coloring the world. What is this color or hue that we use? The most obvious component, at least to you and me, is the red tint from the blood of Christ shed for our sins. We may note the green of new growth or the soft blue of God's peace descending on us. This paint is a mixture of colors and it must be stirred up for use. Do we fear that stirring? Yes, sometimes we worry what might come up to the surface if we stir our inner bucket. But God prepared an answer for that too. The very next verse is one we need to memorize and recall often: "For God has not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Tim 1:7)

Bucky