Let Your Light Shine

Matthew 5:14-16

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Are you a light in a dark place?

I was reminded of being a light after reading an article in a Christian Newspaper. The man in the article was telling how, when camping, fishermen were guided unto the beach by seeing his small candle.

Ye are the light of the world.
It is clear from scripture that we live in dark times. The bible says in Philippians 2:15, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

Have you ever thought of yourself as a candle? It is clear that others may never read the bible but they will read your life. Those in the world may live however they want but we are to be a warning light to them.

Do not hide your light
We are not to hide our light. We are to show forth what God has done for us and what He means to us. We should be burning brightly with zeal of the Lord. It is impossible to hide the city that is on the hill. It is impossible to hide our light if we fellowship with Jesus Christ. Moses in Exodus 34:30-35 is a living example of a burning candle.

Good Works
We are to let our light shine so that others can see our good works. If a person claims to be a Christian then they should be active in good works. What good works have you done this week? This is not something you do because you have to. You should want to do them.

James 2:18
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Keeping your light trimmed
Every so often the light goes dim and the wick needs to be trimmed. John 15:2 “…every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

Sometimes we will go through a time of purging but our light will shine brighter. Often it is those in the church who have gone through trails that are the ones who shine most brightly for the Lord.

Trim your wick so that you too might shine brightly for the Lord.

Let us this week, with God’s help, be a bright light in a dark world of sin.