What the Whole World Craves

We are called by God to be lights in a world of darkness (Matthew 5:14). Being a light means to connect with the unsaved and transform their lives through the power of the gospel. As we become involved in the calling of God upon our lives, he will fill our acceptance cravings with his unconditional love. And that love will definitely give us more satisfaction and fulfillment than romance, money, or things.

But we should not just be a light to the world so God will fulfill our cravings for acceptance. We should do it because there are unsaved people all around us who hunger for love, acceptance, and healing. And they are trying desperately to fill their hunger with everything that the world has to offer. Only to find that none of those things bring happiness.

Meanwhile we have the one true cure for acceptance cravings. That is the unconditional love of God that comes as a result of Salvation. After receiving Christ as our Savior we are accepted by God with a love that overwhelms the imagination (Ephesians 3:19). This is an unconditional love that will forgive us whenever we fail. And a grace that will accept us even though we don’t deserve it. Yes God will judge us if we continue to sin. But this judgment is God’s way of bringing us back to the place where we can be blessed.

This love that we experience in our hearts is what the entire world hungers for. The love of Christ can put a stop to abuse, suicide, drug addiction, murder, and many other acts of violence. For many of those violent acts are attempts to find a release from the emotional pain a person is experiencing. Most acts of rebellion and sinfulness towards God would also be stopped if those individuals experienced Christ’s love.

But sadly few unbelievers have experienced the love of Christ through us. What is even more frightening is the fact that some churches actually try to get as far away from the world as possible. Now it is true that Christ does not want us to live like the world. But neither does he want us to hide our light (Matthew 5:15). How can we be a light to the world if we isolate ourselves from it?

Being different from the world but actively involved in it is not an easy thing to do. But God has not called me to isolate myself from the world. Instead he challenges me to, “take the light and jam it down the throat of darkness.1” I am honestly not sure how God wants me to be a light for him in the city of Melton. But with his help I am beginning to look for ways that I can become involved in the lives of the unsaved here. Opportunities to share with them the love of Christ, and the good news of God’s Word.

I hold in my heart the cure for much of the emotional pain that is experienced in this world. And it is a selfish for me to keep that cure locked up inside of me and not give it to those who are hurting. May God give me strength to share my story in a spirit of humility. And may God’s amazing love begin to impact the lives of others because of one brightly shining candle.

1 Organic Church, Neil Cole, pg.15, par.1, ln.1