Let your light so shine before man, that they may see your good works and glorify the Father which is in Heaven” (Matthew 5: 16).

Used figuratively, “light” is commonly used to describe spiritual awakening, including the illumination that floods all the faculties of the soul: intellect, conscience, reason, and will.  It is a beautiful representation of the state of those who are brought to the saving knowledge of the Gospel. 

The apostle Peter speaks of the happy state of Christians who have been “called … out of darkness into His (God’s) marvellous light (I Pet. 2: 9).  The word ‘marvellous’ meaning ‘wonderful’ reflects the uniqueness of the Gospel light – “as that excites wonder or surprise which we are not accustomed to see. … The contrast was as great as that between midnight and noonday.  The change in conversion is often so great and so rapid, the views and feelings are so different before and after conversion, that it seems like a sudden transition from midnight to noon” – Albert Barnes.

When the Lord sheds the light of the glorious Gospel upon His elect, He delivers them from the darkness and blindness of their unregenerate state.  With that light, our eyes are opened to see our depraved estate, the follies of sin, the dangers of worldly pursuits, and all other sinful carnalities which used to plague our lives.  In our days of darkness, we served divers lusts and sinful pleasures.  But now as servants of our new Master, Christians should no longer be slaves to the flesh to serve sin:  “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God”  (Rom. 6: 13).

Thanks be to God that we will no more walk in darkness because we have the Light of life!   John, in his epistle, speaks of walking in the light (I Jn. 1: 7) which includes loving our brethren: “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.   But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes” (1Jn. 2: 9-11).

As children of Light, we are to be witnesses for the Gospel: “Let your light so shine before man, that they may see your good works and glorify the Father which is in Heaven” (Matt. 5: 16).  “A Christian must so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the Gospel.  His  conversation  should  be  such that all who are about him should clearly perceive whose he is, and whom he serves; and should see the image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions” – C H Spurgeon.

As part of our FEBC Practical Theology course, we were sent to interview a man who, upon marriage, had converted to his wife’s religion.  Once an atheist, the man made every effort to uphold the tenets of his wife’s faith, which included festive fasting, daily routine prayers and abstinence from certain foods.  However hard he tried to practise his faith, there was somehow the feeling of an emptiness within.   After some time, he was transferred to work closely with a Christian colleague, whose life was a glowing testimony of God’s grace.  The man’s simple life of faith impressed him.  Gradually, he sought this colleague for an explanation.  The Christian patiently answered his endless questions.  Convicted by the Holy Spirit, the man committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Thereafter, his whole family came to know the Lord through his own personal testimony.  Thank God that, through this Christian’s faithful witness, a whole family was brought to salvation.  Someone may be watching our lives.  Let us do our part to keep shining forth the Light of Life.  The Lord may use us to win some lost soul to Him.

Lights are intended for guidance.  Christians are to help those who are in the dark.  This we do, by holding forth the Word of life, pointing sinners to the Saviour, and the weary to find rest in Christ (Matt. 11: 28-30).  Our Lord may direct us to those who read their Bibles without understanding.  Like Deacon Philip who led the Ethiopian eunuch to salvation (Acts 8: 26-39), let us be ever ready to minister to some seeking soul and to lead such a one to the true Light.

Lights serve as warnings.  There are many false lights that will draw the ungodly to sin under the name of pleasure.  Remember always that we live “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” and our duty is to “shine as lights in the world” (Philp. 2: 15).  We are to warn men of the follies and dangers of sin.  Philip Bliss probably had this sacred duty in mind when he penned the meaningful hymn, “Let the lower lights be burning.”   Do take time not just to read the lyrics (RHC 404) but think through the words as well.  Where the Lord has placed us, let us be conscious of “some poor fainting, struggling” soul that we “may rescue,” we “may save” with God’s help.  May we be channels of blessing for the Master’s use.

Lights have a cheering influence.  The Lord may send to us the anxious and the sorrowing.  A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips, and a compassionate heart.  Everywhere we go, let us carry sunshine and diffuse happiness around us.  We end with this poem quoted from Spurgeon’s Daily Readings :

“Gracious Spirit dwell with me;
I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal
Would thy life in mine reveal,”
And with actions bold and meek
Would for Christ my Saviour speak.”