Christ in Our Midst

“The Church reads the Bible, but the world reads the Church.”
This old Taiwanese proverb speaks deeply to me. Our faith is most visible in how we treat one another. What do your neighbor, coworker, or social media followers read in you? How is Christ visible in your life?

Connection that Builds Mission

I travel a lot for work and have the privilege of meeting Christians from different cultures and denominations. Yet, everywhere I go, I see the same challenge and the same calling: the call to build connection. A connection that is more than just pleasant fellowship – a connection that is motivated by our shared mission: to be witnesses of Christ in this world.

Connection is not always easy. We have different opinions, experiences, and sometimes even pain. It’s not always easy to get along with everyone. And sometimes I realize that maybe I am the one who’s hard to get along with. But it’s precisely in those moments that I need connection the most. I need others in order to grow. And most of all, I need Christ – the one who offers mercy and unity. Even though we are so different, Christ is in our midst. He is the one who calls us together.

Imagine people standing in a circle with Christ at the center. If you want to come closer to God, the circle tightens – and you also come closer to others. God calls everyone equally, and no one comes to Christ without also drawing near to their neighbor.

Shine Like a Star

Philippians 2:15–16: “You shine like stars in the world as you hold firmly to the word of life.”

So how do we live in such a way that all our neighbors – all people in Finland, in my home country England, or in my birth country Brazil – may come to know God’s love?

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul urges us to be lights in the world – and to do so through small, everyday actions: by not complaining, by treating each other with respect, by sharing our table, by offering forgiveness. When you do these things – you shine like stars. Not because you are perfect, but because God’s Spirit lives in you. The Spirit gives you strength to show God’s love to everyone through your daily life and actions.

The Kingdom of God is not something that’s merely coming – it is already here. Mission means opening our eyes to see it. We are called to be together in Christ – and together in a world that needs hope.

So always remember this when you see the stars or the sun – God is in you, and you can shine like a star because your identity is in Jesus. And Christ’s love can shine through you to everyone around you.

Devotional by Rosalee Velloso Ewell, Director of Church Relations, United Bible Societies. Rosalee was a guest of the Finnish Bible Society at the mission partnership consultations in August 2024.