Jesus tells us to let the light of our faith shine out for all to see. But what’s the best way to do that? You might have a fish symbol on the bumper of your car. Maybe there is a t-shirt in your dresser drawer with a Bible passage imprinted on it. A cross necklace can let others know that you trust in the Savior who gave His holy life in payment for the world’s sin. I know believers who have carefully chosen tattoos which testify to their love for the Lord.
But perhaps the best way to shine is by taking to heart what Jesus told the disciples just hours before His crucifixion. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). It sounds so simple. Yet to truly love others with Christ-like, self-sacrificing love, which puts the wellbeing of others ahead of your own, can only come as a gift of God by the working of the Holy Spirit. It’s not a natural action on the part of anyone. Look around. Look within your own heart. Because of sin all people are selfish and more likely to take advantage of others than to go out of their way to help.
But God’s love for us in Jesus changes us. The Spirit works repentance so that we confess our guilt and rejoice in Jesus as our Brother who stepped between us and the fire of hell. God’s love fills our hearts and love overflows toward others. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
History tells of a heathen government official in the days of the Roman Empire who was investigating Christians. One thing in particular astonished him. “See how they love one another!” he is quoted as saying. Believers lived differently than the society around them. They reflected the compassion and concern of the Lord Jesus in their words and actions. Do others see the same thing in us today? Let’s pray they do! That is the best way to truly “shine” wherever we are and in whatever we do. |
