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SHINE THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

Believers share because they care

“The way you store up treasure in heaven is by investing in getting people there.”  Rick Warren

When I was in school, there were two days that my classmates and I looked forward to with great anticipation at the end of each year.  The most important one was the first day of Summer vacation.  The second was the day our school yearbooks were distributed.  Before we sought after those teachers and classmates that we wanted to sign our yearbooks, we all did one thing.  We each flipped first to our class page and then through every page just to see how we looked.  Inside of each one of us is the natural tendency to think and care for ourselves first before anyone else. 

I once heard a great example of how a person will not truly grasp how selfish we all are until he or she gets married.  I agree.  The day after I said I do I realized just how much of what I do is focused on me rather than we.  It takes being persistent and intentional to change.  It’s one thing to put others we care about before ourselves, but it’s entirely different when we are asked to do the same with people whom we are disconnected from, dislike, or disagree with.  Though it may be difficult, it doesn’t mean that there are exceptions to the rule.  Jesus commanded all His followers not just to love your neighbor (Mark 12:28) but to also love one another (John 13:34-35).  That means everyone, without exception.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

Our lives should be a light of love that we are to cast far and wide.  Prior to this verse, Jesus said how light is mean to shine and not be hidden.  That would defeat the purpose of the flame.  The same goes with the new life that we have in Christ.  It must be on full display because as Jesus followers, we are called to populate Heaven and rob hell of prospects.  That is a mission that we should not hide or cower from.

The Greek word for “light” that Jesus uses has some very rich connotations.  It can represent our lives and the actions that we take.  It also represents our mind and the knowledge that has enlightened our souls and our understanding.  We are to shine the external and internal “lights” of our lives by showing it off and sharing it with those who lack it.  Jesus affirms that when we do this, people will see more than just our good deeds.  They will gain a glimpse of the goodness of God and that increases the chances of their heart softening towards our Savior!

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.  Romans 13:8-10 (ESV)

Government and the rule of laws our necessary in every society because of the problem of the human heart.  We need barriers and guidelines on how to be civil with one another because it is not a natural default setting of ours.  Yet even the greatest social compacts are limited because human laws cannot change human hearts.  Only the love of God can.  Notice I didn’t say that love could because mankind cannot agree on a simple definition of love, bringing us back to the root of the problem.   Us.  It is only through the love of God that we can fulfill the law of God.

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.   Romans 13:11-14 (ESV)

Through Christ, we are saved FOR good works and not BY them.  We cannot achieve our own salvation.  It’s through the good and perfect work of Christ on the cross that makes this possible.  Now here, Paul is challenging his readers to shine their lights through “works of good” and not hide them through “works of darkness”.  This is to be done with the understanding that one day we will all face Jesus and must give an account of our lives.    

This should keep us from compromising life for death and failing to be concerned for the eternal state of the souls around us.  How can we offer one thing to the lost while acting like them?  Therefore, we cannot make any provisions or give ourselves opportunities to feed our flesh over our Spirit.  We need to wake up, clean up, and grow up by putting on Jesus and becoming more like Him in all we do every day.

When was the last time you shared something significant with someone else?  Was it a book you read, a food you tasted, a movie you saw, or a vacation destination that you visited?  We all get excited when those people we shared our experience with get to experience it themselves.  The journey of personal discovering is incredible.  But for some the roads are longer than others. 

We would never remove ourselves from people who don’t agree or are unwilling to share in our experience.  In the same way, we shouldn’t hold back from sharing this new life that we have in Christ, regardless of what others may say or think.  You never know who might come around if you stick around long enough and tell your story.  That joy would be worth the wait.

The next time you have a clear night, step outside and look up at the moon.  Picture it even now.  Notice how much it lights up the night.  It doesn’t do as good of a job as the Sun, but it’s still effective.  That is what Jesus is calling us to be.  In the same way the Moon is reflecting the light of the Sun on the dark side of the world, Jesus’ disciples are to be the lesser lights that reflect the greater light of the Son of God so those lost in the darkness of this world.  

We can only do that through Christ.  Jesus is the master of loving messy people like you and me.  He alone can help us to do the same.  Through our faith in Christ, we are loved by God better so that we can love others better as we shine our lights and share our lives just like Jesus did.