Shine Like the Stars by Steph Beth Nickel

Daniel 12:3 is such an incredible verse—challenging too! It says, "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." (ESV)

At this time of year, lights are everywhere ... from traditional Christmas tree lights to the new-fangled lazar unit that makes our neighbours' house looks like it's covered in glitter (I love it, but it's a little pricey.)

But if we allow the Light of the World to shine through us, we will shine even brighter than that house—you know ... the one that has the hydro metre spinning full speed.

Getting back to the verse in Daniel ...

The Bible has much to say about wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 comes to mind: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Let's dig into what God's Word teaches us about knowledge, wisdom, and instruction. (I love biblegateway [dot] com. It's such a great resource!)

I'm sure we all want to "shine like the brightness of the sky above." I know I do.

I also want to shine "like the stars forever and ever." (emphasis mine) To do so, Daniel states that we must "turn many to righteousness."

Just how can we do that? Here are six suggestions:

1. We must bathe our efforts in prayer. We have a part to play—that is evident throughout the Scriptures—but it really is about Him and not us.

2. We must be willing to make the most of every opportunity to make Him known. This is a wonderful time of year to speak about the Saviour's birth and what He came to accomplish, but often we're so busy running from one task to the next that we rush passed those who so desperately need to hear.

3. Even for those of you who are not list fanatics like I am, this is a good time of year to create a schedule. You could record your goals under the following three headings: What I Want to Accomplish, How I Will Accomplish It, When I Will Accomplish It.

4. For writers in particular, this is a good time to come up with a writing schedule. It's so easy to let this slip over the holidays. We will want to be realistic with our plans, probably cutting back on the amount of time we spend writing, but if it's in our planner, we are more likely to stick with it.

5. We must be patient with others and with God. Things often don't happen when we would like them to, but we must persevere as we seek to make the Lord known and point others to Him. Remember we plant and water the seed, but it is God who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6).

6. I would like to add that we must be patient with ourselves as well. Sometimes we'll get it right and sometimes we won't. As long as the Lord gives us breath, we will have opportunities, directly and indirectly, to turn others to righteousness. I've often prayed that I'll do better next time.

May we be wise and turn many to righteousness as a result of our actions and words, both spoken and written, this Christmas season!

A Case For Fiction - Tracy Krauss

The question has been asked, "What is the purpose of Christian fiction?" If we break it down to the bare essentials, there are basically two answers. One is to bring people to Christ while the other is to encourage those that are already believers. One focuses on evangelizing while the other focuses on discipleship. Both have value and both can be achieved within a single work.

However, what about fiction that does not have blatant Christian content? Is writing for a secular market a viable option for a Christian? I believe the answer is 'yes'.

One doesn't have to look far for some great examples. Allegorical work by masters like C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien are full of moral lessons, Christian values, and references to Biblical stories. Sometimes these are subtle and sometimes they are not. Even though readers not schooled in Christian teaching may never realize that the message is pointing to Christ, they are wonderful stories worth reading.

Allegories aside, I would argue that learning a moral lesson isn't the only reason for reading a good book. Like any art form, good literature can enlighten, entertain, and enhance our lives. As creative beings modelled after the Great Creator, we can and should embrace the pleasure of well written words strung together simply for the beauty of it. Think of some of the other things in life that bring enjoyment: the beauty of nature, listening to music, watching a baby, eating your favourite meal... While these activities may make you ponder the Almighty's magnificence, you don't necessarily have to have an all out spiritual experience every time you engage in them.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a good book just for the sake of enjoying a good book. God created us to enjoy life; to take pleasure in the simple things, and I believe that story telling is part of that. While there is a place for deeply spiritual reading, there is also a place for simple stories that do little more than bring a smile.

On the flip side, there is also a place for stories that make us think; that ask hard questions and make us ponder humanity in all its frailty. Some of my favourite works of literature - both classic and modern - have some disconcerting content. One of my favourite genres is dystopian literature whose main purpose is to point out these human shortcomings. Rather than discourage me, I find I am pointed toward God, even if the book is a secular one, since He alone is the only answer to the profound questions raised.

I'm glad that God is a God of infinite variety. There is a place for evangelistic Christian fiction, fiction that seeks to deepen the reader's walk with God, and fiction that is only meant to entertain. There is even room for fiction that stretches our comfort zones just a bit, as long as it doesn't lead us away from faith in God. So, readers, keep on reading, and authors, keep writing what you are called to write.

Tracy Krauss resides in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC where she teaches secondary school Drama, Art and English. She has several stage plays and novels in print. Visit her website: http://www.tracykrauss.com  for more details. 

The Reluctant Evangelist - Tracy Krauss

I am not an evangelist. Oh, I know - we're all supposed to be witnessing to others and sharing our faith, but I am not the kind of person to blatantly go up to someone and say, "You need Jesus!" I know people like this and it often works for them. Even if it doesn't, they just seem to have this inner need to 'tell the world'. They are evangelists. 

I guess this is what Paul was talking about when he said there are many spiritual gifts. Not everyone is comfortable in that evangelistic role, just as not everyone is comfortable as a teacher, apostle, prophet ... 

I'm a teacher by profession, from a long line of teachers (four generations) so I know how to do this. And, frankly, I'm good at it. I'm also a story-teller, which is a branch of teaching. (I'm basing this very simplistic categorization on Jesus' example. He told parables and was often called 'Teacher'. Smile.)

For me this is a much more effective way of sharing my faith. The obvious example is through my writing. So far, all of my novels have a strong redemptive theme. On a more personal level, however, I am much more prone to what was once called 'friendship evangelism', where you just make friends with people and then, during your day to day contact with them, they see your life an an example of Christ. You might even get the chance to 'tell your own story', or testimony, although I try not to contrive opportunities for this. 

Some might consider this a cop-out, but that's okay. I used to beat myself up about it because I felt like I wasn't doing my job to fulfill the great commission. Especially when I'd hear a sermon or a TV evangelist asking, "How many souls have YOU led to Christ?" Talk about a guilt trip. Now, I don't try to measure my success as a believer in how many people I have personally prayed with or led to the Lord. If someone wants to talk about faith, religion, or related topics, I am more than willing. If someone asks me for advice, I'll give it and maybe ask them if they'd like to pray. Usually, people say, "Yes." 

I often feel uncomfortable around 'in your face' Christians. (And I'm a pastor' s wife!)  However, I know lots of people who have come to Jesus as a result of the 'hard sell'. I don't mean to sound condescending when I describe it this way, because that's not my intent. People have come to Christ through TV, radio, camp meetings, waking up in a jail cell, in a hospital, from a door-to-door visit ... The list is endless, because the variety of people in this world is endless and God knows that in order to reach them, He must use a variety of methods. What works for some will turn off others and vice-versa. 

Which brings me back to my point. Even though I don't consider myself very good evangelist material, I'm still presenting the gospel in my own way. So I suppose, when all is said and done, even we 'non-evangelistic' types are actually fulfilling the great commission.