Let Your Light Shine

When people look at your life do they see Jesus?  I am not talking about on Sunday morning when you are dressed all up with your mind stayed on Jesus. I am talking about every other day of the week when you are at work or at school or in your home.  It is easy to be saved at church but your greatest testimony is not in the church, it is in the office, on campus, at the football games, in the restaurant, at the mall. Believe it or not, someone is always watching. I am talking about when someone upsets you, what is your comeback?  Do you turn the other cheek? We can all turn our light on and off when we please but I believe that our light should shine at all times.  For every chance we have to respond in our old sinful nature, we have an opportunity to witness for Jesus.  I don't mean like we used to do on Saturday mornings at the church that I grew up in where we went door to door, but in your every day routine.  Like the song says, 'This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine'.  There is so much truth to this song. 

The topic came up in my Interpersonal Communications class about why people post all these Christian things on Facebook and then five seconds later they are cussing and talking crazy and doing all other things that may be confusing to those who are not as spiritually sound as the person making the post might be.  Some of my classmates even referred to us all as 'hypocrites'.  It made me think about what kind of message we are sending out there.  What type of message are you giving that babe in Christ who may have just gotten saved or is trying to grow in Christ?  I Corinthians 8 touches on this.  Verse 8 says, 'But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble'.  Now this is not about me questioning your Christianity.  We all have to stand alone in judgment.  I cannot stand for you and you cannot stand for me.  What I do want you think about is, "Are you living your best life?"  The life God created you to live.  Walking in his footsteps in everything that you do.  None of us are perfect but we are being perfected by God.  You must come to learn who you are in Christ.  You must know that 'greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world'.  You must also know that there is 'no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it'. 

I grew up being taught that a Christian's life had to be boring.  I was taught early that hell was a real place.  But what I have learned now is that Christians can have fun. It is okay to laugh. I like different genres of music.  I grew up thinking it was a sin if you didn't listen to gospel music only.  We always hear about those condemning folks for drinking, dancing, etc.  You never hear them use a scripture to back up what they are saying and if they do they only use part of the verse. These are people who just like to condemn everybody.  That is not what I am here to do.  I would just encourage you to step back and take a look at your life.  Are you living a life that is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord?  Are there things you are doing that may be a stumbling block to those around you?  I can't answer these questions for you. I will tell you that you can live the life of a Christian 24/7 and not be ashamed.  I love being a Christian.  I can stand boldly and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ wherever I am.  There are times when my light is not shining as bright because of my actions and bad decisions I have made but I have determined never to let it go completely out.  What about you? 

Dear Lord,

I confess that my actions are not always those that represent You as I should.  Sometimes I left this 'old self' get the best of me. I need your help to continue to make me into the person you would have me to be, so that my light is always shining.  The opportunity is always there for me to make the right decision.  Lord, I need your help to make that decision, the one that is pleasing in your sight.  I confess that sometimes I don't like to be under a microscope and  I want to exercise my freedom but I must realize that people are watching me and I must always represent the one who loved me so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross for me.  I thank you for giving me the strength and the wisdom to make good choices.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.