God’s Shining Lights!

A historic solar eclipse just swept across the U.S. mainland from Oregon to South Carolina. It was quite a phenomenal event. The last time something like this occurred was 99 years ago. At various viewing points on the path of “totality,” hundreds of thousands of people got to see the total eclipse of the sun. 

Today’s eclipse reminds me of our responsibility as Christ-followers to let our light shine before others. To effectively do this, we must guard against anything that would seek to “eclipse” God’s light from shining through us. “To eclipse,” according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, is “to obscure or darken,” or “to reduce in importance or repute.” 

Through His words in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus informs His disciples that in the same way that we don’t light the lamp and hide it under the table, but instead light it and put it on the table for all to see, they are to let their light shine with no hindrance whatsoever. They are, therefore, not to allow anything to obscure or reduce the state or level of the importance of their shining light. Instead, they are to heed these words of Jesus:

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:6, AMPLIFIED BIBLE)

Personal Application Questions (PAQs):

1. What is hindering my witness as a follower of Christ?

2. What are some specific steps I can take to let my light shine brightest?

References:

1.     Matthew 5:14-16, Amplified Bible 

2.     Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary definition of “eclipse”:  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eclipse. Retrieved on 21 August 2017.