Shining the Light of Jesus
Have you ever walked from a dark place into a very bright space? Light has incredible power over our senses, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. But light is necessary for us to live. It illuminates the world.
In Matthew 5, Jesus uses light as metaphor several times to describe the life of a disciple. He says that His disciples are like a town built on a hill that shines light into the valley (Matthew 5:14). He also says we’re like a lamp that gives light to a whole house (Matthew 5:15).
The life of a disciple of Jesus is meant to be like that of a light that shines brightly for others to see. So what is the light that we have?
It is the message of the Gospel. We’ve been given knowledge of what Jesus has done for us, and it’s that knowledge that changes everything for us. We now have a new life because of Jesus.
Jesus also says that people recognize our light through our good deeds. When we choose to love others, we are showing them the light and love of Jesus.
If you want to be a light in a dark world, remember this: the most illuminating act of all is loving people like Jesus. We are a city on a hill, a lamp shining into a whole house. The darkness around us may seem overwhelming, but the love we show because of the light within us illuminates everything.
Live Prepared
Pause and think of the people who, at a moment’s notice, have to be ready for anything. Maybe your list includes first responders, the military, athletes, teachers, parents, pilots, surgeons, or pastors.
But does your list include you?
As followers of Jesus, we are called to…
“…Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
1 Peter 3:15 NIV
We can’t expect people to observe what Jesus has commanded unless we are also observing His commands ourselves.
Do we want people to learn about God’s love? Then we need to show God’s love to people. Do we want people to learn about Jesus’ compassion? Then we need to be compassionate. Do we want people to give generously? Then we need to be good stewards of our own money. Do we want people to study God’s Word? Then we need to study it for ourselves.
When you give Jesus control over your life, you allow His ...