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Tag: opportunity
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“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds.” — Matthew 5:16
Reflection:
Kingdom citizenship transcends mere identity; it requires active engagement and revolutionary living. Jesus modelled this vividly, embodying justice, mercy, and humility in every interaction. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, embraced the outcasts, and forgave sinners. His life became the definitive guide for how His followers should live and serve.
The early church in Acts provides another compelling example. Believers shared their resources, supported the needy, and worshipped with unified hearts (Acts 2:44–47). Their faith extended beyond words into tangible actions, creating a community that inspired transformation. Their unity attracted others to Christ. This happened as “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Their visible deeds testified to their Kingdom allegiance and drew others into fellowship.
Living as Kingdom citizens demands alignment with God’s values. It means advocating for justice in difficult circumstances. It requires extending mercy to those who do not deserve it. It involves walking humbly in a culture dominated by pride. Every interaction presents an opportunity to mirror God’s character and expand His Kingdom.
This citizenship thrives within a community. Just as the early church strengthened one another, believers today are called to support their faith family. Together, they cultivate accountability, inspire good works, and collectively shine God’s light into the darkness.
Today, consider how you can live as a Kingdom citizen. Seek ways to show justice, mercy, and humility in your everyday interactions. Each small act of obedience and love contributes to the ripple effect of God’s Kingdom advancing on earth.
Prayer and Action:
Lord, guide me to live as a faithful citizen of Your Kingdom. Let my life show Your justice, mercy, and humility in all I do. Today, I will intentionally seek opportunities to serve others. I will visibly live out my faith. I trust that my actions will fulfill Your Kingdom’s purpose.
Further Reading:
Read Matthew 28:18–20. In this passage, Jesus commissions His followers to make disciples of all nations, reflecting Kingdom purpose. Romans 12:9–13 outlines living as loving and devoted members of Christ’s body. Ephesians 2:19 reminds believers of their identity as fellow citizens in God’s household. -
“You are the salt of the earth… the light of the world.” Matthew 5:13–14
Jesus portrayed His disciples as salt and light. With these metaphors, He illustrated their transformative influence in a fractured world. Salt preserves, enhances, and purifies. Light exposes, directs, and dispels darkness. Together, these metaphors capture the essential role believers play wherever God places them.
Salt works with quiet power, subtly transforming its environment. A small measure of salt would change the flavour of an entire dish. Similarly, seemingly minor acts like speaking truth, showing kindness, or standing firm in righteousness can create profound ripple effects. Every decision we make to uphold integrity contributes to advancing God’s Kingdom.
Light, in contrast, commands attention. It reveals what is hidden, offers guidance, and inspires hope. Jesus instructed His followers. He said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds. Glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Light draws others out of darkness and directs them toward truth. Paul and Silas exemplified this when they sang hymns in Macedonian prison (Acts 16:25–34). They stood firm in their faith. This changed their circumstances. It led to the salvation of the jailer and his family.
Living as salt and light demands active engagement with the world. Remaining silent in the face of injustice or retreating from challenges neglects Christ’s call. Believers must let their faith permeate their words, decisions, and relationships. Ask yourself: Do my actions preserve goodness and show God’s truth? Am I directing others toward the light of Christ?
This calling seem overwhelming, but it comes with Christ’s assurance. Through Him, you become an instrument of His love and a guide for those needing direction.
Prayer and Action:
Lord, empower me to live as salt and light in a world desperate for Your truth. Shape my actions to show Your goodness and inspire others to glorify You. Today, I commit to seeking opportunities to illuminate Your love and preserve what honours You through faithful service.For Further Reading. In John 8:12., Jesus declared Himself the light of the world, offering direction to those in darkness. Philippians 2:14–16 urges believers to shine like stars by living without grumbling or arguing. In Ephesians 5:8, Paul reminded believers to live as children of light, reflecting God’s goodness, righteousness, and truth.
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December 6, 2015 Volume 1, Issue 007
OPPORTUNITY AND THE MAKING OF HISTORY 4
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
– Phil 1:21
We are not to just lose our lives …, we are to lose it for the sake of Christ.
To be poured out as a drink offering to God’s glory and to the blessing of others is what life is about. We see the importance of the principle taught by Christ that those who lose their lives are those who would gain it. life is not for comfort, but for sacrifice and every blessing upon it is to advance God’s kingdom; increase in good works and be of blessing to people.
Even terrestrially noble men have practised this life principle and benefited from it. Look, from the scripture, at the widow of Zarephat; the boy with five loaves and two fishes; the Shunamite woman as examples. In the spiritual and eternally relevant sense, those who were called to follow Christ did, without the promise of gain. Overtime, however, they realised that there is gain of full reward in it for them. See Mark 10:28-30.
We are not to just lose our lives to find it, we are to lose it for the sake of Christ. We have reasons for this: for example, when He saved us, we lost our lives willingly to Him, for we came under His ownership; lordship; and covering. Since then we became dead and the life we now live is Christ himself living in us; Gal 2:20. We live no longer to self, but to the master and our existence is 1). for His glory only – Phil 1:20; 2). for the will of God, 1 Pet 4:1-3; and 3). for Him who died for us – 2 Cor 5:14-15. All these suggest that our lives should be sold out to serving God’s interest and representing Him in all of life.
If you would want to find your life, you would have to lose it as you cannot eat you cake and have it – Luk 9:57-62; you cannot hold unto one to gain another. In Luk 14:16-20, we see those who lost their life’s essence simply because of their investments, career and relationships or because of their wealth, work and wife. Whereas those who lose it to follow him got their lives advanced.
Do you know that true advancement comes in the pursuit of the purpose? Luk 5:1-6; If Paul did not die to self, he would have had his ministry buried; but look at him: from Antioch to Jerusalem; from Jerusalem to Tarsus; from Tarsus to Antioch; and from Antioch to the uttermost.
To be fulfilled in this life, we must die to self. It is the death of the seed that leads to the possibility of a harvest. The pouring out of all that you are and have is the only appropriate way to leave an indelible mark in the sands of time. There is no ‘if only’; whatever you desire to be tomorrow, assume it today. Give even when you have but little; pour out even with all the inhibitions around you. Procrastination is the key to regret. Do whatever your heart/hand finds to do. Get spent to die empty – 2 Cor 12:15; It is while we are here that we can bear fruit, Phil 1:22 and affect other people’s lives, Phil 1:25. The process of doing this is the gradual emptying of self, being poured out as libation, Phil 2:17; 2 Tim 4:6-8; so that the final death might be total emptiness.
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November 29, 2015 Volume 1, Issue 006
OPPORTUNITY AND THE MAKING OF HISTORY 3
Your endowment can only be fully utilized when you lay aside the culture of playing safe
Paul was a notable apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ with a noble Jewish background. He was involved heavily in the persecution of the church until his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus. During the encounter, he asked to know what the Lord would have him do. In the city of Damascus, he received his salvation, healing and direction. From that point, he lived his life to God’s glory and not to self.
Paul understood life as being poured out as a libation so as to die empty. He was caught in between the choice to die or to live. He chose to live so that more lives can be blessed. Being alive has the implication of being needed by God for something significant. That is why the necessity on everyone is to maximize existence by living to God’s glory beyond self and pleasure. In 2 Tim 4:6, he would know that his end was near because he had poured out the essence of his life to the glory of Christ and to the blessing of others. Your endowment can only be fully utilized when you lay aside the culture of playing safe.
Even while going through the challenge that accompanied his life’s purpose, he believed that it will turn out for his deliverance; that was the same as saying it will work out for good. His life was so dedicated that his being alive was entirely for Christ. For him, beyond the average human inclination, ‘to live is Christ’. By that he was saying that his existence will be to the glory of Christ and to more fruitfulness. This fruitfulness is the blessing that will come on those he was ministering to.
Most people don’t pursue the true reason for their lives. According to Jesus, living for self is common across the nations. Living for self (Matt 6:19-21) is to gratify and indulge self with stuffs; it is being enchanted by earthly things for gratification and indulgence. Basic idolatry manifests, when pleasure is pursued at the expense God. Matt 6:24; Do you think you don’t live for self? Check what you long for most times. Matt 6:25-33.
Lose your life to gain it is a general call to all, a call to live for purpose or for others. When purpose and others are given the second place, self comes into the picture and life becomes compromised. I do not in any way deny the weakness of the flesh and the temptation to gratify it. The truth, however, is that behind that is the devil and not God. Jam 1:13. God, nonetheless, gives grace by helping, Jam 4:8, 10, when a man humbles himself under His mighty arm.
Those who play safe do not amount to anything on earth. Playing safe is tantamount to becoming nothing. The necessity placed upon Paul to preach, compelled him to do so even under fetters. Life will surely present everyone with ugliness, but if dedicated to God, it will end up for good and much more to the blessing of others.
Significance in life is always born out of selfless sacrifice. An average person seeks comfort and pleasure but we are alive, not for self, but for God’s purpose in service to others. For your life to glorify God, it must be broken like an alabaster box, so that the treasure within can be poured out to God’s glory.
Isaac Boluwatise 
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