Let it Shine

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV

The moment we believed in Jesus, believed in the Word that regenerated us, we became sons of light. Since Jesus is the Light of the world, and we were recreated in His image, we're also lights. We don't become lights when we do what the Word says; we are always lights, and when we do what the Word says and proclaim our faith in Jesus we ALLOW our light to shine; when we don't, we hinder our light from shining. Since we're lights the Bible says that a city that has been set on a hill cannot be hidden. You cannot hide a light for long, and if you do then it will go off.

Picture the light of a candle; if you put it under a basket or under the bed it will go off since it needs oxygen to burn. It needs to be put on a high place and given room to shine. This is why Jesus said that people don't light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who're in the house (Matt. 5:15). Are you on a lampstand, or under a basket? Where you spend each day, can people attest to the fact that you're a believer and a light, always seeking to glorify God in what you do?

The number one reason why people are usually afraid of letting their lights shine is because they haven't surrendered fully to the life of the light, and are afraid that if they do then their actions and lives will be exposed. Jesus said, "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." Jn. 3:20-21. Since we came to the light, we ought not to be ashamed of the gospel and serving and obeying God openly, as this is how we allow our lights to shine to the whole world; this is how they know the way and life of the light, of the life of God.

We ought to come to a place of dying to reputations and images and surrender to Christ, for Him to shine through us clearly. We ought to be praying such prayers as the disciples of Christ in the first church prayed, for boldness and opportunities to preach the gospel (Acts 4:29-30), as Paul did too (Eph. 6:18-20, Col. 4:2-4). We ought to pray for opportunities to let our lights shine and proclaim our faith. God made us sons of light, and is counting on us to make His ways known to the whole world. Let's never allow fear or the self to stop us from allowing our lights to shine. If we the lights don't shine and so draw people to the Father of Light, who will?

Grace and peace to you!