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
Years ago, when I was in high school, I had a music teacher who sometimes gave us Christian songs to sing. At one concert, all the lights were turned off and the choir lined up in formation holding lit candles and singing “Pass It On.” Everyone in the audience had candles too, and as we sang we would light the candles of those sitting on the aisles, then they would light the candle of the person sitting next to them, and on it went until all the candles were lit. The whole room was filled with flickering, glowing candles.
Most of us are familiar with today’s focus verse, but how often do you actually picture yourself as a light that shines before men? The view during our concert hall was a perfect illustration of what Jesus wants us to be: shining lights in a dark world. It is notable that Jesus said, “. . . that they may see your good works.” Even though we can feel the heat of a light and can usually hear a slight hum or smell the flame to a degree, the most striking thing about a light is what you see. Indeed, the most striking part of our concert scene was the contrast of the pure lights against the black room. It was beautiful.
As Christians, it is our actions and daily living—the things people see—that catch attention. People see light when we thank God for our meal at a restaurant or when we use language that is different from that of our coworkers. They see light when we treat everyone we meet with respect and when we choose to put the welfare of others before our own. Our lives should stand in stark contrast to the world around us. This could make us feel uncomfortable at times, but we need not be ashamed of what we do! We reflect the light of Jesus, and that is beautiful.
Think of how our Lord went to the Cross at Calvary to shed His precious Blood for all mankind, and how He hung there for all to see! He left us with an example to follow. We must not hide what is in our hearts, but share it with others by letting His light shine through us. A kind word, a handshake, or a smile can be all it takes to light up someone’s day and show them that we care about them because they are precious in Jesus’ sight.
Our light may be the only bit of Jesus some will ever see. Are we letting our lights shine today?