Live purest lives, God’s innocent children,
In this world of darkness and sin.
You must shine like stars in the night sky
As you share God’s message of life.
God is your father, Christ your brother.
How you live reflects on their name.
Show great care in using your freedom
That you don’t lead the weak to fall.
Feed those who are hungry, clothe the naked,
Visit those who are in jail.
Love each other and love those who hate you
That God’s love may show through you.
You must shine like stars in the night sky
That God’s love may show through you,
That God’s love may show through you.
About This Song:
The first thing my wife noticed about this song is that the words of the title don’t appear anywhere in the lyrics. That oversight occurred so many years ago I won’t make any effort to justify it now. I’ll just laugh at myself once again.
I have fond memories of singing this song the first time at an old age home in Australia. Can you imagine addressing a group of old folks as “God’s innocent children”? But when it comes to our relationship with God, we’re all children–regardless of our age.
I believe this song probably comes closer to capturing the essence of the Christian life than any of my other songs.
It has a good biblical basis. The main idea comes from Phil. 2:15-16a:
15 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 16 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.
(NIV)
But related Scriptures include:
Matt. 5:44. . .
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
(NIV)
1 Cor. 8:9-13. . .
9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
(NIV)
Matt. 25:35-40. . .
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
(NIV)
John 1:12-13. . .
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
(NIV)
Rom. 9:8. . .
8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
(NIV)
Rom. 14:13. . .
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
(NIV)
John 3:1-3. . .
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
(NIV)
This planet we live on is populated with billions of people who don’t even know Jesus’s name, much less the hope He provides not only for eternity but for a more meaningful life here on earth.
I can’t conceive of billions. I can’t even conceive of millions. But even if I could, that wouldn’t change the fact that my sphere of influence is pretty small.
That doesn’t free me from the responsibility to live in the light and to be light to others, though. I know the Good News. I have the Good News. But how can I show myself a child of God if I’m unwilling to share it with others?
“Faith without works is dead.”
What about you? Does your faith compel you to shine like a star in the night sky of sin and darkness so others can see you’re different?
Free lead sheets (lyrics, tune, and chords) are available for many of my songs. Click on the Lead Sheets tab at the top of this page to see whether one is available for this song. Videos for many of my songs, some recorded at home and some at our church’s nursing home ministry, can be accessed at my website, RogerBruner.com, under the Listen tab.
Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.
Best regards,
Roger
Links you might be interested in:
As I Come Singing. . . 