Shine Your Light - The Crosswalk Devotional - July 3

Shine Your Light
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16, NIV

Every summer, I search for fireflies on my evening walks. I get excited every time I see the lawns in my neighborhood come alive with their tiny, dancing lights. Depending on the species, some fireflies shine white, and others shine yellow, as they illuminate the darkness. They don’t try to hide their glow. They simply shine, by instinct, as God designed them to do. For a few wondrous hours on summer nights, fireflies inspire us to think about how light is greater than darkness. 

We often find ourselves facing spiritual darkness in this fallen and broken world. It can feel overwhelming, but we can always find light when we’re surrounded by darkness. That’s because Jesus is the Light of the World who offers everyone hope, and he tells us in this Bible passage that we have spiritual light in our souls that we’re meant to shine brightly. 

When you invite Jesus into your life, his loving light begins to shine through you. Your life reflects the reality of God’s hope in a world that desperately needs it – as long as you let your light shine by living out your faith. 

Jesus uses two powerful images to illustrate his point. He speaks of a town built on a hill, where it’s visible to everyone. Your God-given light isn’t meant to be hidden; it’s meant to be seen. Jesus also mentions lighting a lamp. No one lights a lamp only to hide it under a bowl. The point of lighting a lamp is to dispel the darkness to help people see. As Jesus says, people place a lamp on a stand, where its glow can reach everyone around it. Your light isn’t just for you. It’s meant to benefit others.

What does it mean to “let your light shine before others”? It means living out your faith in ways that show people God’s light shining through your life. If you do your best to live a holy life, people will see God’s light shining through you. Spend time in prayer, read God’s Word, and seek to understand how God wants you to live. As you do, God’s Holy Spirit will empower you to live in a way that naturally reflects God’s light. You can ask Jesus to help you choose kind words and actions every day, make decisions with honesty and integrity, help people in need generously, forgive people instead of holding onto grudges, and do everything else Jesus leads you to do, day by day. The more you do what Jesus inspires you to do, the brighter your light will shine to the people around you. 

Jesus says that your good deeds are meant to point people to God. When people see the love, peace, and joy that radiate from you, they should be able to connect it back to the source of that spiritual light – God. Then, they’ll be inspired to glorify God. 

Don’t let this world’s darkness dim your unique glow. God has called you to shine the light he has given you as brightly as you can, to show people the way to hope. Just as a town on a hill can’t be hidden and a lamp’s light is supposed to be seen well, your life is designed to reveal God’s love to people who need it.

So, shine on, because the world needs your light! 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider how to shine your God-given light, reflect on these questions: 

• When have you experienced someone else’s light pointing you toward God’s hope during a dark time?
• In what ways do you feel you are currently shining your light?
• Are there any areas in your life where you feel like you’ve been “hiding your lamp under a bowl”?
• What is one small step you can take this week to intentionally “let your light shine” for God?
• How can seeing your good deeds cause others to “glorify your Father in heaven” rather than drawing attention to yourself? 

Further Reading:
John 8:12
Ephesians 5:8-9
1 Peter 2:9
Isaiah 60:1
Philippians 2:14-16

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Diana Radicchi  

Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com, on Facebook, and on  X/Twitter.

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