Let Your Light Shine

By Joyell Nevins – CFFM Blogger

 

Have you ever sat in a living room with the main lights down low, the Christmas tree lit, and just admired the effect?

Isn’t it amazing how such a small source of light (those Christmas tree lights are often teeny tiny bulbs!) can cut sharply through the darkness?

“Again Jesus spoke to them [the temple crowd], saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 RSV

The light of a Christ-follower can be just as powerful in a bleak world as those Christmas tree lights are on a dark night. When we confess Jesus Christ as Lord, and believe that God rose him from the dead (meaning Jesus is alive now!), we are saved and filled with holy spirit.

As Colossians describes, that means it becomes God in Christ in us.

“…the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles [that would be us!] the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:26-27 HCSB

 Christ in you means you have a hope of future glory then, and a light that shines from within now. We stand as lights, illuminating the darkness around us.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Look at the end of that verse in Matthew – our final purpose is not just to bring light to the darkness, although that is certainly needed in our world. The purpose of shining our light is to reflect the One who filled us with light.

“Let your light so shine before men that they might…recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” Matthew 5:16 AMPC

 Just as Jesus always gave the credit, honor, and glory back to his Father God, so do we. Even before Jesus came on the scene, King David was reminding us what, as Pastor Wayne Clapp would say, is the “secret to happiness.”

“They looked unto Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.” Psalms 34:5 KJV

 My tree’s light only comes when I plug in the cord. Our light comes when we plug into the Word, our Father God, and his son Jesus. Then we are illuminated for the world to see.

We do not live in shame or fear. We shine bright with hope. And we lead others back to that source of everlasting light.

May you be reminded of the light you bring when you see a decorated tree this Christmas season.