Bright with brilliance
…let’s go, lights on!
As I write, war has broken out in Europe. Every inch of society still a smouldering ash heap from the unpredicted intensity of 2020. In it all, the church has silently and purposefully been working for ‘his kingdom come’.
When society burns the church rises in all her brilliance. What if that brilliance was less evanescent and existed without the requirement of the burn?
For centuries the church has been responding to Jesus words In Matthew 25 ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ The early church as described in Acts 2.22 ‘sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.’
In Acts 3 the miracle at the gate beautiful was not only transformative to the physical body of the crippled beggar but will have had massive emotional and economic impact.
In recent history we see the impact of church through the exploits of the Booths who saw the need and challenged the status of the day to seek physical spiritual emotional and economical change. William understood that ‘you cannot hope to warm the hearts of people with Gods love if they have an empty stomach and cold feet’.
The church in her role meeting the needs of society is remarkable. The church is not only designed to deal with the wellbeing of the underbelly of society but to be expositors of all that is beautiful. Could art be an underrated force to bring Kingdom come in society? Surely beauty is a hallmark of Gods captive audience?
Take the bible itself. Its sacred storytelling dripping with beauty. Ancient songs with timeless truth leap off the page. Gods design for the details of his tabernacle crafted by Bezalel and Oholiab required them to be ‘filled with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills – 4 to make artistic designs…’ Exodus 31.3-4. Not to mention the genesis of God’s creation. Have we minimised glorification of God through art to 4, ‘less than’ songs on a Sunday morning?
The churches’ role in society is not only to fill bellies clothe the cold and serve it with beauty. Serving society can look like leading. Can the fivefold gifts serve and lead beyond the community of believer and into unredeemed society? I consider the stories of Daniel and Joseph. Both exiles, leaders and a prophets. Unashamedly all three, they led prophetically in a place they did not belong. Society may feel alien to the church but as with Joseph and Daniel the church can serve nations empowered with spiritual foresight and implement strategic plans to shape the economic future of nations.
The church in society shines with such brilliance when it leads with integrity, implements justice, explodes with generosity and gives the world beauty.
Jesus said ‘In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.’
Light provides direction, light provides warmth, Light grows sustenance, and light exposes truth. Light is and illuminates all that is beautiful.
The churches’ role in society is to shine with brilliance. Let’s Go, Lights on.
Ps. Lisa
