Common Denominator

What do these three things have in common?

First we’ve got cute little mushrooms growing in the yard that have been snacked on by furry varmints.

Then we’ve got a fern that somehow made it through our summer of drought.

Finally, we have mold growing on a mushroom that’s also been nibbled on by tiny chipmunk teeth.

Mushrooms, ferns, and mold. They look nothing alike, but still have a common denominator: all reproduce through airborne spores instead of seeds or spreading root systems.

Do you and I have a common denominator?

I hope so!

The worldwide church is composed of many nationalities, traditions, gifts, and emphases. The same could be true of your local church where you worship with other followers of Jesus.

We look different. We see things from unique viewpoints. We work toward impacting our communities in varying ways. We use our individual gifts to accomplish diverse goals (1 Corinthians 12:4).

But our common denominator should be spreading God’s love and truth, shining His light and making a difference in the lives of others trapped in darkness.

We can’t see the “spiritual spores” carried from us on the winds of the Spirit to impact those around us, but they’re there!

To increase our ability to affect others with our light, two things are necessary:

1. We need to be saturated with Jesus, spending time in his presence daily and filling our lamps with oil.
2. We need to be rubbing shoulders with those who do not yet know Him, providing opportunities for our light to shine into their hearts and lives.

Input and output are equally imperative. Without input our output will be weak and ineffective. Without output we become bloated and stagnant, full of ourselves and our “spiritual maturity” (ewww, who wants any of that??).

Now it’s your turn!

Take a bit of time and evaluate these two areas of your life.

• How are you prioritizing and investing in your time alone with Jesus?

• How are you getting out of your Christian bubble and working/playing alongside those who are not yet following Christ?

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:14-16 NLT

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