Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life. (Philippians 2:14–16, NIV 1984).
My Musings – If we were to “do everything without complaining or arguing,” we would most certainly “shine like stars in the universe.” For complaining and arguing are certainly a hallmark of this generation, whether it is depraved or not.
But let’s not miss a key point of this test – “as [we] hold out the word of life.” If complaining and arguing are characteristics of our witness, we are not “without fault.” Complaining how a “depraved generation” behaves solves nothing. And we must remember “that is what [all] of [us] were. [Before we] were washed, [we] were sanctified, [we] were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11, NIV 1984).
Furthermore, it is very unlikely that anyone can be argued into the Kingdom of God. “Would [a wise man] argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value?” (Job 15:3, NIV 1984). While in God’s wisdom we know their words are useless with no value, they probably think the same of ours.
My Advice – Nevertheless, we must “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks [us] to give the reason for the hope that [we] have. But [we must] do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.” (1 Peter 3:15–16, NIV 1984). Some seeds take longer to germinate.
The Brew Is A Musing 