{Be Loving} A Way To Break The Mundane

I have a feeling I’m not the only one who has ever felt…well…kind of bored in the church world (*DUN DUN DUNNNN!*). Included in that is this: I don’t think I’m the only one who has felt a lack of vitality in a small group/youth group/high school group/etc. Even if you’ve been blessed with incredible leaders, I think it’s natural to have seasons where it seems like the community you’re in isn’t giving you what you need. It might feel a bit mundane when ideally it would feel exciting.

When I looked up the word “mundane” I was shocked to read this definition: “of this earthly world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one.” Well isn’t that just it! “Mundane” quite simply, is a lack of the Kingdom on earth. When we’re experiencing the mundane, we aren’t experiencing the things of God.

This week I want to remind you all a passage of scripture that is so full of simple instruction. It also gives practical steps to cultivate a culture the opposite of mundane in your community*.
*as a side note, when I mention “community” I truly am just referring to your scope of influence – whether that be your church, school, friends, family, or city.

Ephesians 5:8-14 NLT
8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

The simple truth is this: “You now have light from the Lord.” Other translations say that now, in the Lord, we ARE light. This is a profoundly simple yet transformative statement about the nature of who we are to others. We are LIGHT. With the knowledge of this, the passage can be broken up into 5 short instructions:

1. “Live as people of light!” (v.8) – Perfectly enough, right after the truth there is a command to live as people of light. That is followed by verse 9: “for this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” When we live as people of light, there is a natural overflow of those “good/right/true” things into our communities (v.9).

2. “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord” (v.10)- Read scripture, stay in prayer, and aim to always be establishing and strengthening your relationship with God. He will lead You; just listen. This of course changes everything – how you interact with your community, how you pray for someone, etc. When we determine what pleases the Lord and do those things, community is strengthened on His unshakable foundation.

3. “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them” (v.11) – this is quite self-explanatory: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). We are told not to take part in evil and darkness but that doesn’t mean we ignore it! We can bring light to those places that so desperately need it though His light.

4. “It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret” (v.12) – by submitting to light, we give up any and all darkness. If the tongue can bring death or life (Proverbs 18:21), it is important that we use the light we have to speak life. You are a life-bringer by what you speak!

5. “But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (v.13-14) Being in the light often causes us pain. Things are revealed to us that expose our nature that is so human and broken. But we don’t stay there – we dwell in His light. Don’t be afraid of Him shining His light on your dark – it’s always better in the light. The darkness brings death where His light brings true life.

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Bringing His Kingdom to earth and seeing the mundane broken in your community requires an acknowledgment of what we carry. When we acknowledge the Light in us and working though us, it brings about a culture of going after God and sharing His love. It may sound like a lot of work but I assure you it’s simply an overflow of being near to Him.

Draw near to Him and His Word.
Let is transform you.
Live in the Light.

John 8:12 NKJV

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”