"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ~Matthew 5:16 (KJV)
I was recently asked to pull a Bible verse from a bag. Today's focus verse was what I pulled from the bag that was passed around among a dozen or so of us. I took the time to meditate on this verse for a couple of days mainly because of how timely the message is for me.
Verses 14 and 15 read like this, 14. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."
When we become Christians, God gives us the ability to shine the Light of Christ, simply by our everyday living. My favorite hashtag is #SonLight, because Son-light is the perfect light. As Christians we can become distracted with artificial and even reflective light (light from the life of others); but these can and will always distort, magnify, or reduce the appearances of strengths and weaknesses. But the light of Christ reflects only one thing: CHRIST. When Christ lives and shines through us, the Glory, Grace, power, and perfection (maturity) of God is revealed as TRUE and Faithful. CHRIST-like perfection is not about being perfect, but about imitating The One who is!
But you know what? It is so much easier to talk about it than to be about it! It's true! Otherwise why would Jesus have given such an illustration? He knows that when "The Light of The World" (Proper) takes up residence within us, things will start to happen. We will begin to look different, talk different, act different. We will become bolder, or meeker. We will be compelled to get out of our comfort zone, but we will certainly not like it, or even want to. It is much easier to talk, fantasize, and even pray about being a great light, as opposed to actually shining. It's easier to shrink than shine. But let's be real...we all know that as long as an object is in the direct path of light, that object will reflect light. The only way to avoid it is to get out of the path of the light source. So unless you are getting off the path, get to shining, and DON'T LOOK BACK!
Most of all try to remember that we are not The Light, we are only a reflection of The One who is shining upon us. The perfect work has already been done, we just need to follow His lead. So don't hide His image in 2014; reflect it, and do so with abandon!
What's in YOUR Alabaster Box?? Let it burn bright like costly oil in your lamp!
God Bless,
Dawn~
~Pouring my life out in worship, like Costly Oil~
RSS Feed
