A Discernible Wobble

 “In  the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

A few years ago, the pastor of my home church shared an article in their newsletter that want to pass on to you today:

            “I read a while back the excited announcement of a group of astronomers who had discovered 10 more planets circling neighboring stars, the closest of which is 10.5 light-years from earth. That's a long way but probably still close enough to interest some of our more ambitious real estate developers.

            The astronomers couldn’t yet tell us whether any of the newly discovered planets might sustain life. In fact, aside from their existence, not much can be said about the planets at all. You see, no one has actually seen them. So, you might reasonably ask, if we can't see them, how do we know they exist?

            It works like this: The gravitational pull of the planets causes the parent stars to wobble back and forth. That wobble, in turn, causes a slight wobble in the wavelength of light coming from the stars. And that wavelength of light is indeed measurable from here on earth. And so, from a wobbling light, scientists can reason their way back to the presence of a planet.

            Makes sense to me; not that I know anything about astronomy, but I do understand the logic. It is, after all, central to our Christian theology. Call it “Wobblology,” if you will.  We talk about it all the time in the church.

            It works like this: If you follow the movement of Christians in the universe, you should discern a certain wobble - an alteration of course that implies the presence of another force. That wobble might be a word of grace here or an act of compassion there or a stranger welcomed as friend or some unmerited kindness in an unlikely place that sets the Christian apart from the rest of humanity. "There, do you see?" I can imagine some objective scientist noting. "There is definitely something different about the movement of those Christians and the light they emit." Reason your way back and you will discover the cause - the presence of Christ and the gravitational pull of his love.

            In the end, there is no greater evidence for the existence of a divine love than the people who dwell in that love and no greater evidence for a Savior than the people who have been saved. So, wobble on, and in your wobbling bear witness to the Christ whose love changes everything.”

            (--Thanks to Rev. Mark Westmorland, former Senior Pastor of Fayetteville First UMC, Fayetteville, GA for his

               words from that church's newsletter)

Wow!  What a great reminder of the power of our influence on others!  I pray that as you live out your faith in your home, your workplace, your school, at the grocery store, online, on social media, and even on vacation, you'll have a “discernible wobble” about you that points others towards the reality and power of Christ!  Remember that God loves you and I do, too!