Let it shine

 

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

 

It’s difficult sometimes when you’re really tested or persecuted to let your light shine. What you must continue to be is honest with God, yourself and the people around you, even if that does not make you appear, in your mind, in such a great light. The verse above does not mean that you shine like the sun and everything you touch turns to gold, like someone that’s always happy or something. Happiness of heart is when we are close to God and many times it’s sorrow that gets us there.

 

Philippians 4:14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

 

When you are beaten down and still praise God, that’s letting your light shine before men. When you are beaten down and beating your chest and crying, “why God, why, are you doing this to your servant?” (Deut. 32:36) that’s letting your light shine before men. These kinds of witnesses cannot be beat. It’s real. It’s honest and in your pain you are with the Lord (Philippians 4:14, Psalm 6). Some people in your situation might have escaped (to a trap) of various sins, but you didn’t. You held on. You bore the burden and remained faithful. Pleading with God for help is letting your light shine before men. Some might say, I think that’s great but I don’t see a good deed there. The good deeds were definitely the deeds of obedience, that put this person where he is. For the best example ever, look at the cross: From Matthew 27:46  ...“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Also, though the deed of the cross is easily seen as not just a good deed but the most awesome deed ever, when I’m suffering for Christ, and sharing in His affliction, it’s primarily a witness and is definitely letting your light shine, even when you’re crying to God. To have unbelievers think we don’t suffer because of our faith is not letting them know the truth.

Deuteronomy 14:28 “At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your town.

 

It is good for Churches to help their community and it’s obviously Biblical. God looks at a Church body the same as He does a person or a town. If a body is led by Him, in its deeds, then that body is doing right. That is and always is the key: If it’s instructed by the Lord, then it’s right. This is one way that a Church body can let its light shine in a community.

 

When you do good deeds as a result of your salvation and your relationship with the Lord, that’s letting your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. This is the obvious meaning of Matthew 5:16, though some still (me included, sometimes) strive to do good deeds and totally miss the calling to that good deed.

 

If you’re not called to a good deed it is not meant for you. God has certain things He wants you to do and filling up your time with supposed good deeds is not it. You must walk by the Spirit and do what He asks you to do when He asks you to do it. That’s what makes it a good deed: walking in His righteousness (walking by the Spirit). If you’re not doing this you’re not doing good deeds. God may ask you to do something and then once you get started He may take you from there and place you somewhere else. You never know what God has in store. You may have a few general ideas and you may know a couple specifics but God does not lay out the path for us like MapQuest. You have to be attentive to His voice and willing to do what He says and then do what He says when He says to do it. That’s how you let your light shine…

 

You might say, “I don’t believe you have to be called to a good deed to do a good deed. “What about just being nice to people in general?” You are called to this: Matthew 10:40-42  40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward.”

 

You might say, “Then all you’re saying is that I need to help everyone.” No, I am not saying that. You are not to help everyone (From Isaiah 31:3 ...And he who helps will stumble… (see Isaiah 31:1-3). This is after you have trusted in the help of unbelievers and then assist them, you can do so to your own detriment). First of all, you are only one person. So, even if you were suppose to help everyone you couldn’t. Second and foremost, you have enemies that you are not to help to destroy you. You are to come out from them (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)and not go to them (Jeremiah 15:19), except to witness, if God tells you to, but they can come to you (Jeremiah 15:19), if God allows them. They cannot come on their own accord. If you help your enemies cause against Christ, even unknowingly, because of being disobedient to the Word, that is not a good deed and it can be very harmful to you and others. Remember Satan’s desire is to destroy you. But, Jesus came to give life. John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you 45 in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? 47 “And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

I wanted to include what Jesus says since I spoke about those who have made themselves your enemies by their evil. You pray for them and love them but you but you don’t trust in what they can do and then help them. This is what the Word says.

 

So, the only way to do good deeds, so that your light will shine, is to do deeds that God leads you to do by the Word (the Spirit of Jesus Christ: The Holy Spirit).

 

Lastly, Letting your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven, does not contradict Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. This is actually letting your darkness be seen by men because it’s all fake. The words to see here are to be noticed by men. The motivating factor is for others to see your deeds.

 

When you let your light shine, your light is already shining and you’re just letting others see that light: what Jesus is doing through you. The emphasis is on who you are helping and you’re letting others see what’s naturally flowing through you. It is you teaching others, by example, how God works through His servants. When it’s light, God wants others to see it come from you.

 

in Christ,

 

Rob Norman

 

 

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