Shine Unapologetically
This verse bids me to ask, what good is having this indwelling of the Spirit of God if I don’t share it with others? And then, how can I reflect this God-given Spirit to the world? The only answer I have come up with is to reflect His light unapologetically to the world. With the current speed at which information travels and the presence of social media in some of the most remote areas of the world, our lights might shine in far-off places upon people we may never physically reach. This thought simultaneously overwhelms me with equal parts wonder-filled excitement and unadulterated feelings of inadequacy. Timidity questions, “what if your words steer someone in the wrong direction or create more questions than answers?” The Spirit rebuts, “what if your words lead them to Jesus?”
The thing that is so amazing about this is that all of our lights are meant to impact the world perfectly, even though they all shine in a way that is uniquely our own. I love how Dallas Willard says in The Divine Conspiracy: “We were built to count, as water is made to run downhill. We are placed in a specific context to count in ways no one else does. That is our destiny.” This same idea is beautifully revealed to Esther by her cousin Mordecai in the Bible: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
I pray that I will always seek the power, love, self-discipline, and, might I add, discerning wisdom of the spirit so that Christ’s light will shine brightly through me, glorifying God in every circumstance I encounter on this incredible journey through life. I pondered all this a little too long this morning and barely screeched into church on time. I giggled and shook my head when we came to this verse in the Gospel reading: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 WOW! Just WOW!
God is GOOD ~ ALL the time!!