“One-A-Week Challenge” – Week 38

“Let your light shine before men, that they may
see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

–Matthew 5:16 esv

What do people see in you? I read once about a man who stepped into a taxi and found the driver to be unusually friendly. Although this passenger was no stranger to the taxi ride, he did find it unusual to have a driver so overwhelmingly cheerful so he asked the man why he was so happy. The driver replied, “It all started when I heard about another driver who was so kind to his passengers that one of his riders remembered his kindness and left him $65,000 in his will. I thought I would try it myself and that maybe one day someone would leave me something too. But after I tried it, I found it was so much fun being good that I decided I would do it for the fun of it, reward or no reward.”

It is certainly better for us to be kind and gracious than not. Our motive, however, is not for the earthly rewards that might follow but for the praise of our Father in heaven.
If, however, you notice the world around you becoming darker and darker, don’t blame the darkness! It is simply doing what darkness does. The only remedy for darkness is light. If the world is becoming darker, the problem is not with the darkness. The problem is with the light. Jesus said His disciples should be the “light of the world” (Matt.5:14). What an awesome responsibility—to be the ones through whom God would shine His divine light and dispel the darkness from around others! In announcing His own coming, Jesus said, “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, /And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death / Light has dawned” (Matt. 4:16).
You and I have been given the great responsibility to reflect the Light of Jesus Christ through all our life. We are constantly having impact and influence on others. Admittedly not all of our impact or influence is positive but it is always present.

Jesus says here that the purpose of letting our light shine and revealing our good works is not about bringing attention or applause to ourselves, but to God. The old Christian hymn says it simply:

While passing thro’ this world of sin, and others your life shall view, Be clean and pure without, within; Let others see Jesus in you.

Let others see Jesus in you, Let others see Jesus in you. Keep telling the story, be faithful and true; Let others see Jesus in you.

Your life’s a book before their eyes, They’re reading it thro’ and thro’ Say, does it point them to the skies, Do others see Jesus in you?

Then live for Christ both day and night, Be faithful, be brave and true, and lead the lost to life and Christ. Let others see Jesus in you.

I pray that others are seeing Christ in us today!
you the way.