BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”
(Matthew 5:16)
MEDITATION:
When we were children, our parents had great concerns
about how we looked and how we acted outside the house.
Although it probably irritated us at the time, when we grew
older, we understood their reasons.
They knew that what others observed in us was a reflection on
them and how they were raising us. Our actions could threaten
the opinions others had of our parents. If we caused a negative
impact on their opinions, they may not even want to associate
with our parents.
If the gossip network notified enough people, then those who
were thinking about getting to know our parents could change
their mind. Why? Because our actions caused others to believe
that our mom and dad were not good parents.
Do you get the picture? It’s the same with our Heavenly Father,
isn’t it? The way we act and the things we say can impact the
opinions other people have of Him. Those who don’t know Him
could have no desire to know Him based on what they see in us.
Now the scripture in Matthew 5:16 makes sense, doesn’t it?
We are God’s agents and consequently we have the opportunity
to stimulate the interest of others to know more about Him, or
drive them away from Him – some maybe permanently. If we
know that we might have caused someone to miss out on heaven.
we will have a heavy burden to carry.
But all is not lost. We can begin from where we are right now
and change our lives so that we will be a better reflection of
our Heavenly Father. God has used people in the past who
not only didn’t reflect His character, but were also opposed
to Him and His desire for all people.
Every believer has been given a ‘light’ from God for us to shine
before others. Shining our ‘light’ is confirmation of our faith and
makes us His witnesses. Our ‘light’ is not to be hidden for fear of
misrepresenting our Father, but it is a ‘light’ of faith and hope that
we should want others to see in us. The ‘light’ we ‘shine’ should be
intended to glorify God, and not ourselves.
You are the light of the world. A town built on
a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light
a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put
it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house.
(Matthew 5:14-15)
ACTION:
Questions to consider:
– How is my light “so shining”?
– Am I creating a desire in others to know my Heavenly Father
better, or do my actions and words cause them to be disinterested?
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me a light to shine. Without
the salvation that You have given me, I would have no light. Help me
to shine my light in such a way that others will have a desire to know
more about You and Your Son, Jesus Christ. Forgive me if I have been
negligent in shining the light You have given me. Show me the changes
I need to make so that my light not only shines, but it shines in such a
way that it will glorify You. You are One who matters the most in my
life – teach me how to communicate that to others. Prepare me to be
ready to tell others about Your love for me, and for them. Teach me
how to be kind and encourage others in the same manner that Jesus
would. Create in me a willingness to be sensitive, to consider the pain
and difficulties others may be experiencing, and to let You speak to
them through me. Thank You for loving me even when I fail to show
my love of You through my obedience to Your commands. Help me
to have a greater commitment to obedience. Remind me often of
these words from Jesus,
“If you love me, keep my commands.”
(John 14;15)
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