Two Lives, Two Flames

At first glance, the image in the thumbnail is unsettling. Two men stand facing one another. Both look similar. Both appear well dressed. Both are human. Yet they could not be more different.

One man is charred and smoking. His body looks burned out, as if life has slowly consumed him. He is staring down at his phone, absorbed, disconnected, unaware of anything beyond what sits in his hand. Smoke rises from his head, a quiet picture of exhaustion, distraction, and decay.

The other man stands illuminated. A flame burns brightly above him, not destroying him but giving light. He is holding an open Bible, reading with intention and focus. His posture is steady. His face is calm. He is not smoking. He is burning with purpose.

This image captures a truth many of us feel but rarely stop to name. Everyone is burning for something. The question is not whether you will burn, but what will fuel the fire.

One life is slowly consumed by distraction. The other is steadily refined by truth.

Scripture reminds us that God’s Word is not passive. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.” What we give our attention to shapes us. What we consume eventually consumes us.

The phone in the image is not evil in itself. Technology is a tool. But when it becomes the primary source of comfort, identity, information, or validation, it begins to drain rather than give life. Endless scrolling promises connection but often produces isolation. It fills our minds while emptying our souls. It's obvious the enemy uses this to distract. 

The Bible, on the other hand, does not merely inform us. It forms us. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Notice the difference. One man is lit from above by truth. The other is darkened from within by distraction.

Both men are standing. Both are alive. But one is being burned up, while the other is being lit up.

This is not about legalism or guilt. It is about direction. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Renewal does not happen accidentally. It happens through daily, intentional exposure to truth.

What you give the first moments of your day to matters. What you run to when life is heavy matters. What you allow to shape your thoughts matters.

One flame destroys. The other refines.

One leaves you empty. The other leads you to life.

So the question this image asks is simple but piercing. What are you feeding your fire?
Because in the end, we will all be shaped by what we give our attention to. And only one source leads to light that lasts. PS- I saw this thumbnail while I was scrolling. It made me put my phone down and grab my Bible.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Jody