Are you shining?

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 4:16 NKJV)

Today would have been my mom’s 90th birthday. Mom lived an amazing life in Africa and America, yet she also faced many extremely difficult things throughout her life, including the deaths of two sons and a grandson.

In spite of the difficulties, she exuded Christ as she walked through those difficult days and circumstances. Following the death of my brother Tim, a friend asked mom how it was possible for her to walk through such difficult things and be so strong and confident of God’s presence.

How was it possible for mom to walk through difficult situations with strength and confidence?

It was possible because…

…God is the Author of Light (Genesis 1:4)

…God is Light (1 John 1:5)

…God is the Light that drove away the darkness of her sin (John 1:5)

…mom knew the Light of the World (John 8:12)

…the Light of the Holy Spirit taught mom as she read, memorized, and learned the Word of God (John 14:26)

…mom understood what it meant to be a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God (Romans 12:1)

…mom practiced being transformed by the continual renewing of her mind through the Word (Romans 12:2)

Mom was able to shine forth because Christ gave her Light that illuminated her with the WORD, that brought repentance, and freedom from the bondage of sin, and the HOPE for eternity.

And, because she had a close relationship with the Light of the World, she KNEW Him.

And, because she KNEW Him, she had an unwavering, deep, abiding faith that was visible as she reflected the Light and HOPE of Jesus in the desperation, chaos, and darkness of difficult situations.

If you are a Christ-follower, you WILL shine with the Light of Christ.

We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining–they just shine.  Dwight L. Moody

Mom simply shined for Jesus! Do you?