How Bright Are The Stars At Night

I love social media! It is fun to spend time scrolling through photos and videos of the people I know or follow. I find lots of style inspiration, and Joe finds lots of recipes he shares with me. It is also a great way to keep up with what your friends and loved ones are doing. I love it when my kids share photos of the grandbabies since I don’t live close by. But there is a dark side to social media.

It is called the highlight reel. That is when we share the items of our lives we want to highlight. For example, your child being on the honor roll or being chosen to be in the gifted program would be a highlight. Another highlight would be the birth of a new grandchild or that one of your children got married.

One of the highlights I love seeing is when a couple is celebrating an anniversary. Marriage can be hard, so seeing someone celebrating their 50th anniversary is inspiring.

So, you might ask, why would the highlight reel be the dark side of social media? The reason is, the highlight reel doesn’t show the struggles or the failures. You rarely see a post from a parent saying their child brought home a D on their report card. It never hits social media when a child has so much anxiety over grades that they are in tears and shut down from the pressure.

Seeing a couple celebrating an anniversary can be hard if your spouse has passed away. That could cause you pain. Also, the highlight reel wouldn’t show you their fights and arguments, the infidelity that almost tore them apart, or that they rarely talk anymore.

Sharing highlights is not a bad thing; it is usually the way we remember our lives. Everyone has periods of time when life is good, and you want to shout it from the rooftops. But when things aren’t going your way, you don’t need to compare yourself to others.

Tonight, when it gets dark, I want you to walk outside. Look up into the darkness and notice the moon and stars. You’ll probably see a few stars and marvel at their beauty. But keep looking. In a few minutes, you’ll notice a few more stars shining that you didn’t notice before. But keep looking. The longer you stand there, the more stars will be visible.

My point is that all of them are stars. Some might shine brighter than others, but each of them is still a star. None of them are like the others, and they are beautiful and majestic-just like you.

We are all unique. The Lord created every one of us to be different, and no two of us are alike. Each one has different strengths, different likes, and different qualities that make us stars in our own right. Some people have an inner light that makes them shine brighter than others. Some are quiet, and you might not notice their light until you keep looking and watching. Their beauty might take longer to see, but it is still there.

Psalm 139:13–14 NIV

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

You are the only one of you, and that is the beauty. Celebrate the person that the Lord created. He is a wonderful artist and creator. Be the star that He created, and let your light shine for all to see.

To GOD Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day!