Do you find it easier and easier to surround yourself with like-minded people? Modern network communications make it easier than ever to make contact with those of similar backgrounds and beliefs, and opinions. Is this a good thing? The same technology also makes it easier to come into contact with those outside of your familiar group. Which do you prefer to do? It is comforting to be reassured that you were right all along, but that is not a formula for your growth and transformation. So it is easier to do the easier thing, and also easier to do the harder thing that provides more growth potential for you. Which will you do?

My word teaches you that no one would light a candle and hide it under a bushel, but rather put it on a candlestick to give light. This makes sense at the most basic level, but you know that it has a deeper meaning. You have light within you. What bushel would you use to hide it? Fear? Shame? Guilt? These may be real issues that must be dealt with in your life, but they are not valid reasons for hiding your light under a bushel. If you wait until your imperfections are all resolved you will never let your light shine. Let it shine in spite of your flaws that when people see it they will glorify me.

Have you heard it said that you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your relatives? Everyone is familiar with this saying, and your relatives, like the poor, are with you always. When I was asked about my own family I replied that they were those who did the will of God, implying that spirit is thicker than blood. Do you find more in common with your spiritual brothers than your blood brothers? Yet you may recall that one of my brothers did become my disciple. If you make the effort to develop relationships with your relatives so that you would choose them as friends then your brother can be your brother in more ways than one.

Are you familiar with the Biblical teaching about meat offered to idols? Do you think it has any validity today? Suppose that you are selective about what you eat and your host offers you ‘junk food’. If this is what they routinely eat then they are not trying to intentionally poison you by offering it to you. It has not been offered to idols but the same principle applies. Can you see the parallels and the tradeoff between your preferred practice and not wanting to offend your brother? If you choose to decline the hospitality of your host find a gracious way to do it that doesn’t cause a division between you.