What do you do when your siblings are not as into God as you are? When you just get saved at church camp, how do you go home and deal with your friends at school, because I have friends who are "Christians," but they aren't as fired up with Christ as I am?

Jesus said:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 5:16)

This is such a relief! We don’t have to worry about anyone else, even if they’re close family members or friends. We simply get to shine. We get to love. We get to reach out to others and make them feel loved. They may or may not get “fired up with Christ.” They’re on their own spiritual journey.

We read in Philippians:

“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (2:12)

Often the temptation is to want to work out others’ salvation for them. Or maybe we feel like our friends are missing out on something wonderful. But wanting people to think the way we think just doesn’t work. We actually do more good for others by refusing to judge them and by freeing them to make their own decisions. It may feel hard to love someone who has a different outlook or lifestyle than we do, but that’s the ultimate demand on each of us. If we really do believe what the Bible tells us -- that we are all God’s children made in His “image” and “likeness” (Gen. 1:26) -- then our greatest desire, as true Christians, is to trust God. He’s certainly capable of communicating to and taking care of each and every one of His children. It’s not our task to do God’s work. It’s our task to “let [our] light so shine,” to express the unconditional love that Jesus expressed to everyone. We prove that we value the Christ when Christly love abounds in everything we think, say, and do. When we truly let our light shine, our light enlightens others’ lives.