A Shining Witness

                        
 A stressed-out woman was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy road. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cursing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a police officer who ordered her to exit the car with her hands up.

He took her to the police station and placed her in a holding cell. An hour later, the officer returned and said, “I’m sorry, Ma’am. This has been a big mistake. When I pulled up behind you, I heard what you said and saw what you did. Then I noticed your ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ license plate holder and your ‘Follow Me to Sunday Service’ bumper sticker. I assumed the car was stolen!”

In Matthew 5:14 Jesus says “you are the light of the world”. Darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the  people (Isa. 60:2). The unbelievers understanding is darkened , being alienated from the life of God (Eph 4:18). They have no objective standard of morality or a sense of approaching judgment. In Ephesians 4:18 Paul says "you were once darkness". He does not say " you were "in darkness" or "of darkness" but that you "were darkness" itself .

Jesus gives the Christian both a great compliment and a great responsibility when He says that they are the light of the world. He says “I am the Light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life"(John 8:12). He has called them out of darkness to experience his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). His life in and through Christians transforms them into lights.

What does this light do? It illumines the hearts of men showing what they really are. Light also exposes what was intended to be hidden. John 3:19-20 says “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed". If you are light you will expose the horrible sins of those around you.

Jesus used two images to explain what he meant by "you are the light of the world." The first image is that of a city on a hill in the ancient world. Many of the ancient cities were made of white limestone. The sun rays caused their walls to glow making them noticeable for miles around.  At night the illuminating glow of the lamps in the homes could be seen from very far.

The next image is of someone lighting a lamp in a house. He said "nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand and it gives light to all who are in the house." The purpose of the lamp is to enable everyone in the house to be able to see.  Jesus wants his people to be engaged in the good works that make the gospel real and believable to those who are enslaved by darkness.

A lamp lit and covered cannot profit anyone. A soot covered lamp globe makes the light dim.  Maintaining the globe clean keeps the lamp shining brightly. Are there areas in your life that seem to dim the light of Christ? You need to intentionally keep the globe of your lamp always clean so that the light will always be clearly seen. Light may be made dim by the way you talk, the way you view life, your attitudes and others things.

Spiritual darkness impairs a person morally; He does not understand the effects of sin. In the light of holiness displayed in Christians an unbeliever begins to see himself as he really is. A godly life is a stern rebuke of sin. A godly life gets the attention where a sermon might not. The beauty of a godly life makes the gospel appealing and draws people to Christ.

A worldly person follows carnal impulses and is easily swayed by the culture. Christians are directed by what they know, not by what they feel.  They have the truth of Scripture as an anchor in life. They find daily life’s direction in the Word. But such a thought seems folly to the worldly person until he watches the Christian long enough. Then he begins to realize that the Christian's life is ordered, disciplined, purposeful and fruitful.

Jesus said “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." Good works may be translated “good actions” or “good deeds.” Good works display the reality of faith; faith without works is dead (James 2:26). James spoke this in the context of helping a brother in need. A Christian compassionately serving others displays shining light, to the glory of the Father.

Jesus went everywhere doing good for people (Acts 10:38). In Matthew 4:12-17 we are told that when he went and dwelt in the land of Zebulun,  Naphtali and Galilee, the people who sat in darkness saw a great light and light dawned upon those who sat in the shadow of death. He sent Paul to the gentiles "to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God (Acts 26:18). John the Baptist was “the burning and shining light" (John 5:35).

Prophet Isaiah gave examples of good work. He said “let the oppressed go free, divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house. Cover the naked and do not to hide yourself from your own flesh. Then your light will break out like the dawn and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday” (Isa. 58:5-10).

When the people of God live for the good of other people, then people notice it and give God glory. Our works are to be done in such a way that they, in a winsome manner, attract and point men to God. Paul says “do all things without grumbling or disputing that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world holding fast to the Word of life (Phil 2:14).

In 1 Peter 2 the apostle Peter exhorted the early believers to look upon themselves as strangers unable to accept the standards of this world. They were to make their conduct among the unsaved so attractive and winsome that their lives would answer every charge made by their enemies. Do you know what happened? The behavior of the early believers was so pure and good that thousands of pagans were saved.

Even those who hated the Gospel could not help but admire the way Christians lived. And when a period of intense persecution came almost two centuries later, Christians were accused of superstition and lack of patriotism, but they were no longer denounced as immoral, cruel or dishonest. If we who know Christ today would be lovely and winsome in our behavior, we too could make a greater impact upon the world about us.

The light is shining so "that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." They are watching you even when you do not realize it. Perhaps it is the neighbor that never speaks but quietly he watches you; or it’s the bad-tempered boss at work that watches how you respond to him. Your relatives who never says a word to you but they are watching you. We do not control the "they", we are to just be faithful to let the light shine for their sake.

Light drives out darkness; darkness cannot coexist with light; the darker the night the brighter the stars.  Light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:5 NLT). Lighthouses don't ring bells, they just shine. The light that shines brightest at home shines the farthest. Compromise hurts not only the Church, but also contributes to the darkness of the entire nation.

We shine like lighthouses in the dark spiritual night of this world and by so doing we prevent tragic shipwreck and eternal loss of souls. We shed light on the lost, we change their night into day and show them the right way to go. Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever" (Dan. 12:3).

Christ set the light upon the lamp stand of his church that the whole world might be lit up.  Do not to allow sinners to get used or get comfortable in the darkness. Send out  light as you go your way; send out a bright beaming light that will pierce through the gloom of someone’s dark night. Send out a light to those walking heedlessly along destruction’s highway; Point them to pathways of holiness.

Take time to inspect your life. Ask God to reveal any dimming sin or actions that are keeping your life from brightly showing God's light. The real mark of a true believer is that he makes it easier for others to believe in God. The world is watching with a critical eye. Let’s make sure that they are "seeing the Gospel" at its very best! Jesus bids us to shine with a clear, pure light, in this world of darkness.

Shine in your small corner; Shine brightly on your stand. With infinite care and forethought, God has chosen the very place in which you can do your best work for the world. The Master of the house may have put you in a very small corner but it is enough if it is His will. The purpose of holy living is to "glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Is your life a shining witness? Can the world be won to Jesus just by what they see in you?