There is a well known and interesting bit of scripture found in Matthew 5:14-16. Jesus is speaking to a mainly Jewish audience and shares this truth with them: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Now one of the thoughts that had been planted in the minds of the Jewish people was that "Jerusalem is the light to the Gentiles." In other words that is where they could see God. Jesus has taken this saying and made it personal. He expects each of us to let the love which God has for mankind to be seen in our lives. We are quite familiar with verse 14-15, but we tend to slide over verse 16 which ends the thought. He said, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
To some people that seems like a heavy burden, they struggle with this teaching because they just can't live perfect enough lives. They are kind of like the little girl who was being scolded by here mother for some mischief she had done. When her mother asked, "Why did you do that," the little replied, "I guess my light got blowed out!"
The light of God is really not something that can be blown out, it's glow comes from the inside of us. Most of us have heard the saying that a new bride has radiance about her or a woman pregnant with a child has a glow about her. That which shines from both of them is love. It is exhibited in their appearance and their actions; it can't be blown out by minor things that happen in life. It can't be blown out, because it is a love which is a reflection of something greater than just themselves. Only when we make ourselves the center or the source can the light be dimmed.
We need to understand that the light we shine is the light of God, it doesn't come from us personally.
I heard of a man who was walking down the street of a city one day and saw a young boy shinning a mirror in the sun upwards. The man asked the boy what he was doing. The boy replied, 'See that window up in that building. My brother was in an accident and can't get out of bed. The sun never shines in his window, so I always try to catch a little sunshine and shine it into his window."
That is the job which God has set before us today! We may not be able to tell everyone around us about what God has done for us, but we can live our lives in such a way that those around us can see our good deeds and thank God for putting us near them! Think about the message of this verse in this way. "If you are generous with your love and kindness for others, you will cause them to stop and ask 'why.' Through your actions you will cause people to be open to God and his message of Love."
Do you remember the children's song that says, "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine"? When is the last time you did?
Russ Lawson
Now one of the thoughts that had been planted in the minds of the Jewish people was that "Jerusalem is the light to the Gentiles." In other words that is where they could see God. Jesus has taken this saying and made it personal. He expects each of us to let the love which God has for mankind to be seen in our lives. We are quite familiar with verse 14-15, but we tend to slide over verse 16 which ends the thought. He said, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
To some people that seems like a heavy burden, they struggle with this teaching because they just can't live perfect enough lives. They are kind of like the little girl who was being scolded by here mother for some mischief she had done. When her mother asked, "Why did you do that," the little replied, "I guess my light got blowed out!"
The light of God is really not something that can be blown out, it's glow comes from the inside of us. Most of us have heard the saying that a new bride has radiance about her or a woman pregnant with a child has a glow about her. That which shines from both of them is love. It is exhibited in their appearance and their actions; it can't be blown out by minor things that happen in life. It can't be blown out, because it is a love which is a reflection of something greater than just themselves. Only when we make ourselves the center or the source can the light be dimmed.
We need to understand that the light we shine is the light of God, it doesn't come from us personally.
I heard of a man who was walking down the street of a city one day and saw a young boy shinning a mirror in the sun upwards. The man asked the boy what he was doing. The boy replied, 'See that window up in that building. My brother was in an accident and can't get out of bed. The sun never shines in his window, so I always try to catch a little sunshine and shine it into his window."
That is the job which God has set before us today! We may not be able to tell everyone around us about what God has done for us, but we can live our lives in such a way that those around us can see our good deeds and thank God for putting us near them! Think about the message of this verse in this way. "If you are generous with your love and kindness for others, you will cause them to stop and ask 'why.' Through your actions you will cause people to be open to God and his message of Love."
Do you remember the children's song that says, "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine"? When is the last time you did?
Russ Lawson
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