Let Your Light Shine Part 4

Both girls grew quiet and reflective. They began to realize the importance of light, not a flashlight a candle or a lamp but the inner light that comes from knowing Jesus Christ. They realized that the light that shone from within them could lead someone to choose a better path in life.

How do I let my light shine, you may want to know. Well there are several ways in which you can let your light shine.

Let your light shine by being proud of who you are and the light that is within you. Whatever you are ashamed of you will hide away. You can relate this back to your relationship with God. If you are too intimidated by your friends to let them know that you are a Christian then you will simply try to blend in with them and try to put Jesus into a neat little box in your heart that you only bring out when you're alone. However, your relationship with him should be something that you're proud off, something that you want to show off to the world.

In Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) Jesus said,
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

As Christians God is expecting us to let our light shine. The job of light is to defeat darkness so when you try to hide your light away and try to fit in with your friends you're really not being true to who you are. God didn't call you to blend in, he called you to stand out, to be a true witness for him to win souls for his kingdom.

Let your light shine by setting boundaries for yourself and sticking to them no matter what pressures and temptation you're faced with. As a teenager, I always had set boundaries for myself (along with my parents many rules and regulations). I decided that there were certain things that I was not going to do no matter who was doing it. Consequently, when I was faced with temptation to do something like take a drink for example, it wasn't as difficult to say no as it would have been had I not already made up my mind it was simply something I was not going to do.

Let your light shine by living an exemplary life before your peers and others. This goes back to setting boundaries for yourself. There may be times your peers may pressure you or expect you join them in something that goes against your personal value system. However, if you consistently say no and stand your ground they will respect you for sticking to your beliefs. They may even want to know what it is that makes you different... perfect opportunity to witness.

Remember also that in verse 16 Jesus said:
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

As I emphasized during this series, actions often speak louder than words. So I encourage you to think of some good deeds that you can do that will help draw the people around you who may not know Jesus Christ as lord and savior of their life closer to Him. I remember in high school a classmate taking her free time to help tutor me in Accounting which thanks to her I passed with a pretty decent grade. I also remember another classmate whose Christian walk I was impressed with. I remember that she invited me to a Christian Student Movement meeting and it was there that I accepted Jesus as Lord.

Remember, some people may never enter the doors of a church so their only encounter with Jesus may be through you. Make it a positive one. Take care of the light that is within you. Stay connected to the source Jesus Christ. Take time out of your busy schedule to fast, pray and stay in the word.