Light

We can depend on the Lord to show us the way we are to walk and to open our eyes in order to see and know where He is leading. In John 12, Jesus teaches:
35 Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.
36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

We are called to seek His face and to walk in obedience to Him, as He grants us His light.  He also calls us to bring His light into the places to which He leads us.  We have a divine purpose, and He wants to express that through our actions.  When we grasp that we are His children and that we possess His nature, then we can be confident in knowing that He goes with us and will enable us to shine His light, even in the darkest places.

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We possess the glorious light of our great and mighty God, and He is providing ways and opening
doors so that we can reflect that light in our hearts. 2nd Corinthians 4 states:
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

You may not know the name Gianna Simone, but if you've seen the movies, God's Not Dead 2 or I Can Only Imagine, perhaps you have seen her on the screen. She also has a role in the recent film, Unbroken: Path to Redemption.  Maybe you've seen her in Star Trek Into Darkness or Mother's Day.  Gianna has performed in a variety of movie roles, in faith-based, as well as secular films.  ChristianHeadlines.com says this:

That means she’s bringing her incredible faith to Hollywood sets where many of the people present are nonbelievers. And from where she sits, being a Christian in Hollywood doesn’t carry the same stigma it once did.

The article says:

Growing up in Boston, she was both physically and emotionally abused as a young girl. She had nowhere to turn but to her father, who was dealing with his own struggles at the time and in no position to help.

Even though she didn’t know it, God was already at work. She began working out at a local gym at 13 years old, her first step toward breaking free.

The story continues;

The powers that be eventually moved Gianna into foster care. But the owner of the gym, Kathy DeMarco, became a mentor and guiding force in the teen’s life. Kathy was the one to introduce her to church. And even though faith didn’t take root until later, this exposure sowed the seeds of Gianna’s salvation.

Kathy passed away, and Gianna was sent to what she describes as a "place for troubled girls" after trying to take her own life.  She was assigned a roommate, who had her own issues.   Even though Gianna was not a Christian, she shared with her about the love of Jesus.

Then, in a sharing time, the roommate announced she had given her life to Jesus.  The Christian Headlines article, quoting from a Lifezette story, says:

“She said, ‘To be honest, I don't feel anxious or miserable anymore because last night I gave my life to Jesus,’" the actress recalls.

At that moment, Gianna knew God was real and gave her life over to Jesus. And Anne later told Gianna she knew God sent the actress to her room to save her.

The article continues:

Gianna’s faith has only grown stronger and deeper since then, transforming her into the bright young woman she is today. It’s something she’d never try to hide or keep secret.

"There's no downside in believing in God," she says. "I'm loved, and somebody died for me."

That piece also quotes Gianna from the Pure Flix website:

“Jesus is so much a part of me. No matter where I work or what I choose to do, I always try to be my authentic self and God is so much a part of that,” she explains. “In how I treat co-workers, directors, casting directors, crew, and strangers. I maintain this way of living by knowing who I am and Who I depend on- especially when it comes to the purpose He's given me.”

And, just an aside that is consistent with Gianna's declaration.  Chris Pratt, who has made numerous statements about God in public, was featured in a recent Fox News story:

The “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Chris Pratt denied rumors that Hollywood is anti-religious, but rather “kind of pro whatever is authentic to you.”

“I think that there's this narrative that exists out there that Hollywood is anti-Christian or anti-religious, but it's just not the case,” Pratt told The Associated Press. “They are kind of not anti-anything.”

By the way, People magazine announced a couple of months ago that Chris had a "church date:"

Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger were spotted stepping out on Friday night for a casual date in Los Angeles.

“They went on a church date,” a source tells PEOPLE, adding that after the service at Zoe Church ended, they headed to Beauty & Essex for dinner where they shared dishes like the Tomato Soup Dumplings, Thai Shrimp, Tuna Poke and Filet with their group of friends.

OK, whatever - so, Pratt's a big star and has really been able to speak about God without negative consequence, which is good.  But, the entertainment industry still has a ways to go before it affirms Christian values and provides viewing and listening choices that are decent for families.

But, it's encouraging that there are those, like Gianna Simone and even Pratt, who want to shine their respective lights into the industry.  And, that is expressed not only in the work she chooses, but in the way she chooses to treat those with whom she works.  We can choose to reflect the presence of Christ in us by how we interact with the people around us.  Those that observe us everyday are the ones who stand the greatest chance of being impacted by Christ in us.

Both Pratt and Simone mentioned the concept of authenticity. We are called to act in accordance with the identity granted to us in Christ.  He enables us to discover who we really are and to act without pretense. We can be challenged to allow the reality of the risen Savior to live and love through us.

Finally, we can fine-tune the concept of being in the world but not of it.  Jesus doesn't take us straight to heaven when we are saved.  That indicates that there is certainly a mission for us here on this earth.  We have to discover that purpose and bring His light to the places in which and the people to whom we are called to minister.