Day 26: Grateful for a Transformed Life!
7Don't participate in the things these people do. 8For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! 9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. 12It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. Ephesians 5:7-12
Today’s reading contains a great deal of practical advice for living the transformed life. First, Paul reminds us not to participate in deeds of darkness that others are doing. While it’s true that we sometimes devise sin that is of our own making, often it is participating in the sins of others that draw us to “deeds of darkness.” That’s why it is so important for us to be cautious in how and with whom we invest our time. Paul uses the common biblical images of light and darkness to remind us of how those who have been transformed live our lives. Look again at what he wrote: now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! 9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. God’s light produces in us what is GOOD, and RIGHT and TRUE. So simple, and yet so clear, isn’t it? When we want to check on our development as people being transformed by Jesus Christ, all we have to do is ask, “Am I thinking, saying and doing only that which is good and right and true?” That’s a high standard, but then we’re talking about living the transformed life—the life in Jesus Christ, and that IS a high standard!
Paul goes on to tell us not only are we to avoid taking part in the “worthless deeds of evil and darkness,” but we are actually to “rebuke and expose them.” As I said in worship on Sunday, this is a step that most of us don’t really want to take. We’re struggling ourselves with living those good, and right and true behaviors in our lives, so we don’t want to be “self-righteous” and call others to account. Okay, then DON’T be self-righteous when you call someone else to account! Do it in love! Do it with the recognition that by doing it you may be SAVING someone from darkness! But be sure to do it!
Questions and Comments for Reflection and Action:
What deeds are you actively engaged in right now that show your life as good and right and true? Be specific.
Who do you know—who is a believer--who is engaged in deeds of darkness? What are you going to do to help him or her out of that?