Words to Grow On

Archive Devotions

September 27, 2004

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

By:

Dona Brown

      "You are the world's light-

        a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see.

          Don't hide your light! Let it shine for all;

          let your good deeds glow for all to see,

        So that they will praise your heavenly Father."

Matthew 5:14-16 (Living Bible)    

The coastline of Maine is dotted with lighthouses. Many tourists spend their entire vacation just visiting theses monuments, some in working order, and others abandoned or made into museums. Because the coastline of Maine is often rugged and rocky, the lighthouses were built to warn approaching ships of the imminent danger of running aground. Although lighthouses are generally now automated, at one time, the light keeper would have to man the lighthouse each day. The earliest form of light used to light the lighthouse was Tallow Candles with reflective mirrors behind them.

The lighthouse keepers spent a large part of their day just cleaning the lights so they would be ready for use each night.

That thought brings me back to the scripture:

Matthew 5: 14-16

"You are the world's light! Don't hide your light! Let is shine for all!"

Light is one of those things in life that attracts people. You only have to drive down the streets in any large city to realize this statement is true. Think of Time Square in New York City , there are lights everywhere, and there are people everywhere. There are flashing lights, street lights, blinking lights, big lights and little twinkle lights and it seems like, the more lights there are the more people you will find in the area.

When Jesus said, "You are the world's light", He was not surrendering even the smallest part of His own role as the Light of the World. He was simple emphasizing the need for us, His followers, to walk in His light, and reflect His Glory in our attitudes and our actions. - In the Lighthouses, the lights need a reflecting element to help project it out to sea for the ships. - Christ needs us in the same way.

"Don't hide your light! Let it shine for all!"

Sometimes it is easier to hide our faith away until we get with other Christians. Maybe we keep quiet when we know we should speak of God's love to someone. Maybe sometimes it is just easier to go along with the crowd than to stand up for what we know is right and moral and godly. Sometimes we ignore the need of others or we let the darkness of sin creep in and dim our love for God and dim our effectiveness as His reflective light in the world.

"Don't Hide Your Light!...Let It Shine for all!

One of the things that the Lighthouse Keepers did for a large part of each day was clean and tend to the needs of the light. They had to clean off the smoke from the day before or the light would be dim. They had to replace the candles, or the wicks to help prepare them for the next use..Unfortunately, we as Christians tend to neglect our relationship with God. We forget that we need to refuel by reading His Word or spending time with Him in prayer. This simply means, that when we need to reflect God's light, the power is not there.

God has placed us here on earth to be His shining refection to the world around us; to our family and friends, to those we work with, and to those we meet along our daily walk. If you keep your relationship with God in good repair, you will not be able to help yourself. The love of God will shine on your face.

We sing the Sunday School chorus:

"This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine,

This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine,

Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine."

God never refers to His followers as "little" lights. He called them, Stars..Bold..Blazing, Light giving Stars. He wants us each to go out into the world with a Holy Boldness. For some of us it may mean shouting it from the rooftops, but for some of us it may mean whispering it in our child's or grandchild's ear..Jesus Loves You!

God has called you to shine!