Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

To many of us, this is a verse so familiar that we are unable to clearly hear and fully receive it anymore; familiarity has rendered us inoculated against its power of it.

What do we think of when we think of letting our light shine? Most of us can’t help but think of the children’s song, “This Little Light of Mine” (and my apologies to those who will now have it stuck in their heads all day). It’s a cute and singable tune, but it has two dangers for us as adults. Number one, it infantilizes this scripture, making the concept of letting our (and His!) light shine through us seem like something associated primarily with children. Also, this song talks about this “little” light. Having a dozen-plus grandchildren, I hate to quibble with a song most of them know. But we don’t have a “little” light to shine; we have the magnificence of God available to shine through us. Jesus didn’t live, die, and rise again to make a “little” light available to shine through us.

Jesus said He was the light of the world (John 8:12). Yet He also said in Matthew 5:14 that we are the light of the world. How do we reconcile these two thoughts? Simple—just read the rest of John 8:12. After He says that He is the light of the world, He says, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The light that can shine through us is pure, with no darkness (I John 1:5) and no “variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).  We know we all have some darkness here and there, and that we experience variation and shadows in our walk with the Lord. But Jesus tells us that if we follow Him, we won’t walk in darkness and that we will have His light, the light of life.

We have the power, the holiness, the majesty, and the life-changing grace of God available to shine through us. That can sound overpowering, and may it be for all of us! Let’s not be afraid of the power of that light coming through us. Let’s live so close to the Lord that we experience the receiving and conveying of that powerful light without any resistance on our part. If you know Him, you have some light shining through you already. But how much more light can we receive and shine on all those around us?

Let’s try walking more closely to Him and see how much of His light can flow through us! As we press in, that shining light will glorify Him (see the beginning scripture above again) and bless everyone it falls on.