Let it Shine

I keep finding myself using the phrase "its a win-win". I love this phrase and I love it when I find myself in a win-win situation.

Living my life for Christ means that I get to spend eternity in heaven. That is a major win. However, there is more.

Living my life for Christ also means that I have the opportunity to show others what Christ is like. That is another major win.

In Matthew 5:14 he writes "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 needs and praise your Father in heaven".

Sometimes I wonder, is my light shining? I know I love God, and I am living every day for Him...but can people see this through my words, my actions and my attitude?

Today, I completely lost my marbles because we were late to church. Is my light still shining?  Today, I lost my patience, more than once. Is my light still shining? Today, I was selfish. Is my light still shining?

I have a two and a half year old watching my every move.  That is a gigantic responsibility that I take very seriously.  Does that mean that I have to strive for perfection all day long? That would be really hard. I am not perfect, but the great news is that I don't need to be. God is perfect, and that is what my son needs to learn.

When I seek to be like Christ, even when I sin, my light still shines because nothing can separate me from my God.

I want my light to shine so brightly so that my son is blinded by the goodness and grace of God, so I keep making God my number one priority. 

My husband and I pray continuously that our son would grow up to be a God-centered man. On one hand we have no control over that, but on the other hand we do. The closer that my husband and I are to God, the more we will be like Him, and the more influence He will have on our son.

So how do we get our lights to glow, continuously, all day and all night long when there is this thing called sin that gets in the way?

We remain in God's living word, we pray continuously through out the day, we speak up for what is right, and we remain quiet when the time is right. We speak Biblical Truth to those around us, we refuse to listen to lies and we run in the opposite direction of sin. We confess when we sin and we ask for forgiveness. We put our hope, our trust, and our identity in Christ. When we do these things there is no way to turn off the light.

There is no reason to hide, Let your light shine.