And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
Daniel 12:3
God’s goal for us on earth is to love as he loves. Simply put. But I would also add that our ultimate purpose through that love is stated in this verse from Daniel – that in the wisdom attained through Christ in our journey through life, we are to help as many people see Him as possible along the way, and get them to Heaven.
Think about that. Everyone you meet, and interact with, we need to help them get to Heaven. Imagine if that was everyone’s goal throughout the world – to turn one another to the righteousness of Christ and get them to Heaven. Think things would be different?
Through helping others get to Heaven, we will get there. If we put others first before our own wants, that is the ultimate love, and the ultimate act of sacrifice. That’s what Jesus did for us.
This world is torn, and so many are lost. So many. People have lost hope, and have fallen into despair. Others think that this is all there is, and so they live it up in all the pleasures the world has to offer, not knowing that there is an afterlife. Not believing. Or perhaps just not caring.
Many people don’t believe in good anymore. We just don’t talk that way anymore, right? In a world of 24/7 live media coverage of everything that is going in, 24/7 surveillance and everything being on video, it’s all bad, right? On a local news station, every Friday, they have a 2-minute segment devoted to only good news stories. Is that all the good news we can find – just enough to fill a 2-minute spot once a week?
I don’t believe that.
Yes, you can see the signs as Jesus said today, see the signs in this world that evil things are happening and the end times are near. We don’t know the day or the hour. Yes, this is true. But the world has been like this forever, especially over the last 2000 years. The signs of the final battle between good and evil are here, and they have always been here. It can be today, tomorrow, 10 years from now, or 1000 years from now. And so yes, we have to be ready.
But people are also yearning, and needing, to see other signs. Signs of good, signs of hope that Christ is real, that he is in this world. People need to see signs that there is something greater than this world, signs that Christ’s way is the only way, that it not only brings good into this world, but leads to Heaven in eternity. People want to see these signs, that yes, Heaven is for real, and we can get there.
People want to see the signs that prayer works, that that living a Christlike example in this world is possible, and that in the midst of darkness, God is all around us.
These are the signs people want to see, and these are the signs that we ourselves can be. It starts with you. It starts with me. We can be the sign in the world that the people we live with and work with and meet every day are needing to see, that give them hope. We can turn so many people to righteousness if we simply try and live it out in our own life.
We do not know the day or the hour – not only of when Jesus comes again – but also when we are called to be His light to someone on this earth. And so, we must always be ready – be ready for Him to come to us – and be ready to live His example out in the world in all we do. It’s difficult yes, and we cannot do it on our own. But through Christ all things are possible, and this is the sign the world is waiting to see.
