Letting Your Light Shine
One of the unique features of planet earth is our close proximity to the sun. At ninety-three million miles away we are perfectly placed to receive all the benefits of sunlight. (Just 10% closer or further away and life would be intolerable). Almost all living organisms are dependent upon sunlight through a process called photosynthesis. This is the action of light upon green plants that provide them with all the organic compounds they require for normal growth and functioning. And as all of us eat plants, and animals eat plants, therefore ultimately, we need photosynthesis through sunlight to maintain life on earth. In short, we human beings cannot survive without light in the long term. Spiritually, man cannot live without light either.
The Bible declares that Jesus is the life that brings light to men. John 1:4-5 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men… And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Without the life and light of Christ men are spiritually dead. They cannot grow and bear fruit unto life eternal. Like a plant that’s starved of sunlight they refuse to flourish and grow. Now, Jesus also said that we too are the light of the world. Paul alludes to this in Philippians 2:15 “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Epheshians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.”
Someone said, “Don’t expect God to use you as a lighthouse somewhere else, if He can’t use you as a candle where you are.” There are two clear ways that you and I can shine as lights in this world. As a reflector, and as a refractor: Light both reflects and refracts. Some objects it bounces off, some objects it passes through. Spiritual light, the light of Christ, is to reflect off us, and it is to pass through us. In our daily lives as believers we are to bring light and life to those around us. Daniel 12:3 “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever.” Hold a mirror up to the sun and light will reflect off it. Hold a prism up to the sun and light will refract through it. A prism breaks light up into a spectrum of light, much the same as sunlight through raindrops form a rainbow. Light scatters through a prism into various shades. You and I are to act like a spiritual prism. We are to scatter God’s light in us and through us to a world that’s dark and dreary. This can happen through a variety of ways.
Matt. 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.”
Jack Cooper in Dallas Texas is an ophthalmologist. After he did cataract surgery on his patients he would invite them to come back to his clinic for a check-up. “Let’s see how you are doing,” he would say. Then he would have them read his wall chart. This was no ordinary blandly worded chart. He got them to read, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” “Wow! I can read! “God loves me and has a wonderful plan for my… What does this mean?” That was his way of reflecting God’s light. How about You?
- Pastor David Goudy