Shining the Light through Good Works
The New Testament uses a special and important illustration to describe your relationship to the unbelieving world. The believer is a light, shining the goodness and truth of God into a world blinded by spiritual darkness. We know of course that Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). But he chooses to shine his light through people like you and me. To us he said, "You are the light of the world" (Matt 5:14). Paul repeated this analogy later when he said, "You shine as lights in the world" (Phil 2:15). With this illustration in mind, will you pause to consider what it means to shine as lights in the world?
Live Visible
As a light to the world, you should live in a visible way. Jesus described "a city that is set on a hill," one that "cannot be hidden" (Matt 5:14). Then he described the flame of an oil lamp in a house at night (Matt 5:15). Both of these illustrations emphasize visibility. As you know, Jesus spoke these words in the first century AD, long before Thomas Edison invented electric lighting. Therefore, darkness ruled after the sun set in the evening. To counteract this darkness, people burned oil lamps to give them light inside their homes. And people traveling between cities looked ahead to see the closest city near them. The lights in the homes caused the city to glow against the backdrop of the night sky. This special effect guided nighttime travelers in their journey.By using this these illustrations, Jesus teaches you to live in a visible way. You should not live a secretive or reclusive lifestyle, because no one lights a lamp and hides it under a basket (Matt 5:15). Instead, you should get out into the world where you can be around the people who need God. They need to see you. They need to be with you. They need to be in regular contact with your life. But if you spend the majority of your time at home in private and with friends at church, then you will fail to shine as lights to the world. You will hide your lamp under a basket.
If you spend the majority of your time at home in private and with friends at church, then you will fail to shine as lights to the world.
Are you in regular contact with unbelievers? Are you making regular choices to go where they go and to be where they are? As a believer, you should not participate with unbelievers when they are engaged in idol worship or in certain excessive and reckless behavior (1 Pet 4:3-4). But there is so much more that you can do. Don't let your careful Christian living prevent you from practicing a visible Christian life.
Appeal to Anyone
As a light to the world, you should also be sure to appeal to anyone in the world. Jesus describes this as "giving light to all who are in the house." The city on the hill likewise shines indiscriminately to anyone on the horizon. Anyone. Furthermore, Paul describes believers as being "lights in the world," using a word that means "stars." As you will agree, stars shine without discrimination to anyone on our planet.
The city on the hill likewise shines indiscriminately to anyone on the horizon. Anyone.
As you learn to make choices that place you around unbelievers who need God, consider whether you are being a light to anyone, or only to certain kinds of people. As you know, Jesus interacted with all kinds of people, men and ladies, boys and girls, rich and poor, upstanding and repulsive, religious and nonreligious, and people from any ethnic background. By doing this, he showed us what it means to be lights "to all who are in the house" and "to the world." Are you shining God's light to all kinds of people? Are you finding ways to interact with the many kinds of people who live in your community? Are you overlooking or neglecting some people who need God.
Do Good Things
As a light to the world, you should also learn to do all kinds of good things. In fact, Jesus presents your good works as the way to shine your light into the world. This is a fascinating observation, because we generally associate "shining our light" with verbal evangelism. But doing good things does not displace speaking the good news about Jesus. Paul makes it clear that by "shining as lights in the world," we should be giving unrelenting attention to the word of life (Phil 2:16).So then, doing good works and speaking the good news are not two things in competition. They are in harmony with one another and they need one another to be effective (Jam 2:15-16). Knowing this, these two things need to be happening in your life.But what is a good work? A good work is any act or behavior that is good. It is doing kind and loving things on a voluntary basis. A believer who lives this way reveals the good and loving nature of God to the world. By demonstrating the goodness of God through your actions and lifestyle, we should do more than just "be a good person." People need to see a believer who does more than just "stay out of trouble." They need to see a believer who takes action to help resolve their trouble, too.
People need to see a believer who does more than just "stay out of trouble." They need to see a believer who takes action to help resolve their trouble, too.
As you learn to live this way, be sure to do so from a heart of genuine love. Good works are not merely a means or mechanism to guarantee evangelistic results. They are the result of genuine care, regardless of the eventual outcome. Do good works because it is in the good nature of God to do so. It really is that simple.Your life is God's special window to people who need to see his goodness (Matt 5:16). If you only say what God says, but never act as God acts, then people will not see God as clearly as they might and your light will be obscured. Live visible, appeal to anyone, and do good things. If you live this way, then all people around you will see the goodness of God. Opportunities to share the good news about Jesus will blossom.
