Recently, I was at a train station where I noticed a provocative message on a young passenger’s socks. The slogan, written in bold black capital letters, was shocking: MAKE YOUR SINS BRIGHTER. I was concerned that this passenger may not have completely understood the meaning of the word “sin.”

Perhaps the phrase implied, “Fill your life with dangerous entertainment,” or “show people how cool and edgy you are.” What was obvious is that the socks were meant to call people’s attention.

Maybe these socks were worn to hide the person’s insecurity or to cover up a lack of good relationships with family; perhaps it was a cry for love and support. I may never find out the truth, but this chance encounter made me think about the growing generation of young people. How many of them know God? The question is not how many of them know about God, but how many know God personally as their best friend and heavenly Father? What will happen to these youths and their children? Will they know the Lord Jesus as their Savior?

Jesus gave us this Great Commission: “go, make disciples of all nations, and teach them.”

Does this include our own nations or people from our neighborhood? How do we keep our faith alive in today’s world, so our young people will have a desire to carry on the mission? Somehow, it seems easy for a new generation to forget what their parents believed in and instead copy the patterns of behavior from the world around them which are contrary to Christian values. It seems to me that our commission is still the same—we must teach them to be Christ’s disciples.

Therefore, we have to find a common language to reach this young generation and present our Christian worldview in a creative way. In a sense, when we talk to people, teenagers or adults, a Pentecost has to happen in our own lives. We need the Holy Spirit to fill us and guide us so that we may speak their language and effectively share the transformational message of the Lord.

We need to be sanctified and empowered by God If we want the sins of society not to become “brighter” but to vanish away. We should allow His Spirit to set us apart for His purpose: to introduce people to Christ as their personal Savior. I believe God calls us to become His missional people: men and women with hearts longing to disciple a new generation of believers. The Christian life is a life in which sin is overcome and the glory of God shines brighter when we reflect the image of Jesus.

Prayer for the week:

Lord Jesus, thank You for transforming our lives. Thank You for sharing Your vision with us. Please, send Your Holy Spirit to fill our lives and the lives of others around us. Help us to find a common language and the right words. Help us to become Your missional people. Let Your image shine in us when we share Your gospel with others. Amen.

Olga Druzhinina is a lecturer in theology for European Nazarene College and M-Power volunteer in Riga, Latvia.

Written for devotions with Holiness Today.

Please note: All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of original publication but may have since changed.