Friday, November 11, 2022

Listen to the Word
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. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Notice what Jesus says is the end result of letting our light shine: other people will praise our Father in heaven. It is a little surprising - Jesus says people will see OUR good deeds, but GOD will get the glory. When we live in touch with God, people will notice the good things we do, but it will be obvious that we don’t deserve the credit.

If you see a turtle on a fencepost, you can be confident that the turtle had help getting there. Likewise, when the world sees a person living a life full of faith, hope, and love, it is obvious that only God could make that possible. When your light shines, people won’t talk about what an outstanding person you are. They will talk about what an amazing God God is.

Live the Word
Try the discipline of secrecy as a way to break free from the tendency to let your light shine so people will notice you. Do a good deed today without letting anyone know you did it.