We sat down to dinner the other night with our blinds open. Not a big deal. We usually eat with the blinds open, but this night it had already gotten dark outside. This means with the light on inside everyone outside could watch us eat. As we continued to eat, this idea of being watched started to drive me crazy for some reason. I felt like I was living in a fishbowl. Anyway, I eventually got up and closed the blinds. I just didn’t want everyone seeing everything I did.
I did not think much about the incident till we got to Sunday school the following Sunday. We are studying about the coming of Christ – the first one – and the prophecies and preparation for that event. During the discussion, we began to ponder the light versus dark aspects that come up in Scripture. We ended up reading something Jesus said, “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 deeds and praise your father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
“Let your light shine” – command. I got what God was telling me immediately. He said, “Leave the blinds open.” Not necessarily the ones in my house, but the ones in my life. Much like many of you, I am sure, I get tired of doing the right thing, doing what I am “supposed” to do, all the time. I just want to shut the blinds for a bit and take a vacation, but that is not God’s desire at all. He wants me to “shine before men.”
As I shine, they see the good works (only through God’s grace, I might add) and it causes them to praise my father in heaven. One thing I did notice is that it says to let my light shine, and then they would see my good deeds. They are not going to see anything good in my life until I let my light shine. They have to see Jesus in me or there is no light at all and everything else (including the good deeds) becomes pointless. Jesus is my light. He is the light of the world, and He just happens to live in me.
So…”This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.” (feel free to sing it for the rest of the day!). Open the blinds and leave them open – that is my challenge for the day.
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