Let Your Light Shine

Flipping the Switch

Many times, we are hesitant to let our light shine before others, so how do we “flip the switch?” Wait until someone’s in the room and turn it on; go over to them and listen to them; ask them about their lives; ask them how it is going. When we give others attention, we suddenly discover we have their attention and then we have a platform on which to share the word of God.

Walk in His Appointed Works

What do I mean by saying, “Walk in His works?” You know Paul tells us we are not saved by works, good deeds or acts of human kindness…

Ephesians 2:8 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”

…but we are saved to do works. That’s what Paul also tells us  right after saying we’re not saved by works…

Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God saves us without works, but we should be doing works because we are saved. If only we will “walk in them.” That’s a personal choice.

Enter the Darkness

I certainly don’t mean we are to enter the works of the darkness, but fishers of men and women must go where the fish are. We enter the darkness to bring people into the light, even while avoiding the works of darkness. We are not of the world, but we have to live in the world, and we have to leave our church world to seek and to save the lost. Of course, we don’t save anyone because it is their response to God’s ability, but it is our responsibility to tell them.

Deflect the Credit

Jesus told His followers…

Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

…but you must do these good works before they can glorify God. For one thing, we must do this for God’s glory because God declares…

Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.”

If we don’t give God the glory for everything good we do, we are robbing Him of His due glory and taking it to ourselves. That’s the very reason Jesus said to “give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Conclusion

If we are to let our light shine before others, we must flip the switch and let others into our lives and give them the gifts of our time and attention; we must walk in the works that God has opened doors for us; we should enter the darkness to bring others to the light; and by all means, we must give God the glory, for we can do nothing without Him as he tells us in…

John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Let your light shine; be good to one another; stay humble; stay kind… God Bless!