“Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16
For those who have grown up around church, one of the very first songs we often learn as a child involves holding up our pointer finger over our head and singing…any guesses? The song is “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…” Children all around the world sing this tune, proclaiming in a multitude of languages some of our foundational beliefs. Interestingly enough, the songs we learn as children, and more importantly, the Word of God upon which they are founded, never stop teaching us…not even when you get “old” like me!
Recently, God pointed out something brand new to me as I was reading Matthew 5:16. And the lesson came from the most unlikely place: the word “LET.” I believe that God may just want you to remember something as well about this innocent looking word, so please…read on!
Notice that this verse doesn’t say “make” but “let” your light shine – we don't have to generate light; it flows out of us as believers. Far too often, we minimize the inherent power of the light that is present in us as followers of Christ, and we quite easily slip into trying to “make” light – focusing a lot more on “doing” than “being.”
I spent a good deal of time last weekend trying to clean this past season’s deposit of mud and grime off of our family mini-van, paying special attention to the headlights, as they are pretty important once the sun starts to set! Not only do they help us to see, but also just as importantly, they help others to see our vehicle.
In a very similar way, our most important part in letting our light shine is to guard our hearts from sin so that it doesn’t build up on our hearts and dim the light of Jesus within us; just as that road dirt can dim the most powerful headlights from accomplishing their purpose. By keeping our hearts clean, the light of Jesus will clearly seen by everyone with whom we come into contact.
You see, there is no light we can generate that will draw people to Jesus. Just as the moon is bright only because it reflects the light of the sun, our light shines only because of reflecting the light of The Son to others. Our privilege…yes, our responsibility, then…is to make the most of this fact and let our light shine on as many as possible. Even when you don’t think so, don’t worry…it’s shining!
Have you ever thought about the fact that light always costs something? A flashlight “spends” batteries, a campfire “spends” fuel, and the sun “spends” enormous amounts of energy. What’s that mean to us? That we must choose to shine, even though it may cost us something, and not keep our light “under a bushel,” as the old song goes.
Friends, the world needs us to shine, for in a place that is increasingly “dark” to so many, light finds its highest purpose. If I walked around in the daylight with a flashlight on, you’d think I was a few cards short of a full deck! No, light is meant for darkness, so I encourage you not only to let your light shine, but also to constantly be aware of new places and lives into which to shine!
