“…so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” Philippians 2:15-16

I was a camp counselor at Camp Living Stones in east Tennessee when I was in college in the summer of 2001. One week a high school group came from Tallahassee, Florida. That’s when I met Brandi. She was in my small group that week, and she was in love with Jesus. She couldn’t get enough of Him. She asked me all kinds of questions about God. She told me she wanted to know God’s Word and memorize scripture. She craved Him like nothing I had ever seen. It was such a joy to be her counselor.

She came back a few weeks later to be a CIT (counselor in training). We got to spend another week sharing and soaking up God’s Word together. Then the following summer she came back to serve as a full time counselor.

We have stayed in touch through the years, and we have grown to be close friends. It has been such a blessing watching her grow in the Lord. What she wished for, the Lord has generously granted. She has a grounded deep knowledge of God’s Word. She has memorized many scriptures. In fact, she’s a scripture quoting machine!

And Brandi has FAR surpassed me in her walk with the Lord.

I used to counsel her. Now she counsels me.

Now I am the one who goes to her with the questions. She constantly sends me scriptures that challenge me and make me think. Many times her words bring me to tears because of God’s powerful presence and love that pours through her life. What a blessing she is to me.

I am learning that THIS is what we want as Christians. This is our purpose…our goal.

See, we are each other’s fruit. We plant seeds in other’s lives, then God brings a harvest. Sometimes that harvest takes off and those people go on to touch more lives than we could have ever imagined.

We should be FOR others going further with God than even we ourselves.

Christianity should not be competitive. Our enemy is Satan, not each other. I think Satan loves to get us all caught up in the comparison game. Comparison is pointless and poison. Then the devil reeks havoc in the world, and we are ineffective at stopping him because we are fighting each other instead of honing in on the real target…him!

Paul wrote in Philippians 2 that he wanted to be able to boast that the people he had invested in were shining like stars in the sky–that they were standing out for the glory of God. They were holding firm to the word of life. He said he would be so encouraged to know that they were pure and blameless–children of God. Paul would know by their Godly lives that his race had been worth running. His labor had not been in vain.

When we share Christ with others, and they take off, using their gifts and talents to plant even more seeds for God’s glory—we should REJOICE! That’s treasure in heaven! That’s fruit!

It’s not about us. It’s about God’s glory.

In Matthew 5:16 it says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Did you catch that last part? They will see our good deeds and glorify our FATHER IN HEAVEN. Who should be getting the glory from our good deeds?

God.

So when the people you counsel start counseling you, start boasting! It’s time to celebrate and enjoy some eternal fruit!

Note to my readers:

I just want to dedicate this devotional to all of you who have poured truth into my life. Many of you who take time to read my ramblings each day have shared great spiritual truth with me. You have taken time to counsel me. Thank you. This little blog would not be possible if it weren’t for the precious people God has brought alongside me to encourage and teach me. Thank you for sowing seed into my life.  🙂 Have a wonderful day!