Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 KJV
It is called 'your light' because it is a personal experience. It is not our light, where you can hide behind another man's experience and claim it as your own. God calls us as individuals first of all, before he commits an assignment into our hands that will impact not just ourselves, but the world he has placed us in. You have got to have your own light, forged from a personal experience of the Light Himself. It is not light if it is not a reflection of the Light Himself.
My light is to shine 'before men', not in some obscure underground where nobody knows who I am or what I stand for. My ministry is before men, because men need to have light and examples to guide them on their own paths. What is the use of light that does not lead by example, from the front, visible for all to see and simple enough to be followed? My light is of no use under a bushel, or hiding behind activities alone, because it will be the most unfortunate circumstance if I get the Light, enjoy its warmth and Presence, but then refuse or neglect to let it do the work that light does: shine out as a beacon for all men to see.
And men will see, because they are watching closely. It is amazing that men know the right standard, yet are not ready to bear them up. However, for you who claim to know the right standard, you had better be ready to live and die by them. When men look at me daily, what do they see: the manifestation of light or deep darkness? It is important to state here that the defence of 'It is my life' does not hold water here. The moment you gave your life to Christ, if you have, is the day you lost the exclusive right of ownership and handed it over to Christ.
And what men see will lead to what their lives produce. Here, the bible expects that when men see the Light in me, it will lead them to glorify my Father which is in heaven. Is that really what goes on now? Are men moved to glorify God because of the output of my life or are they led deeper into despair because there is nothing good to follow? My life was made for eternity, and the earthly phase is the preparation for it. If I do not give God glory down here, how do I qualify to reign with Him in eternity?
The Light is Jesus. Nothing else will shine brighter or for all of eternity. If my life will make eternal impact, it has to be reflect the eternal. His time of favour is here.
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